In a historic turn of events, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested at his presidential residence in central Seoul on Wednesday, making him the first sitting president in the nation’s modern history to be taken into custody.
The joint investigation unit, comprising the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the National Office of Investigation (NOI), and the defense ministry’s investigative headquarters, announced that Yoon was arrested at 10:33 a.m. local time (0133 GMT). The arrest comes in the wake of his short-lived imposition of martial law, which has sparked widespread controversy and unrest across the country.
Television footage captured the moment vehicles transporting the detained president departed the presidential residence. The convoy headed to the CIO office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, where Yoon was to be questioned. Subsequently, he was taken to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, a mere five kilometers from the CIO office, where he will be held pending further legal proceedings.
Under South Korean law, the CIO now has 48 hours to decide whether to seek a warrant to detain President Yoon for an extended period of up to 20 days for additional questioning or to release him. The arrest has sent shockwaves through the nation, with citizens and political analysts closely watching the developments.
This unprecedented event raises significant questions about the future of leadership in South Korea. As the nation grapples with the implications of a detained sitting president, the international community watches closely, pondering the potential impact on regional stability and South Korea’s political landscape.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
