Ex-South Korean Leader Faces Renewed Arrest Bid
Prosecutors seek detention of Yoon after extensive questioning.
South Korean prosecutors have once again requested an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, intensifying the legal battles surrounding the ex-leader. This move follows a series of interrogations.
New Detention Request
Prosecutors are seeking to detain former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after questioning him twice, including a session lasting over nine hours. He faces charges including abuse of power, obstruction of official duties, and falsification of official documents linked to a martial law declaration.
Prosecutor Park Ji-young, a member of the special counsel, informed reporters that the request for a detention warrant had been submitted to the Seoul Central District Court.
“Today, the special counsel filed a request for a detention warrant with the Seoul Central District Court for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of special official duties.”
—Park Ji-young, Prosecutor
Charges Stem from Martial Law Declaration
The charges relate to events surrounding **Yoon’s** declaration of martial law and actions taken during a failed arrest attempt in January. He is also accused of authorizing drone flights to Pyongyang, allegedly to justify the martial law declaration.
Interestingly, South Korea’s prosecution service has maintained a conviction rate of over 90% in recent years (Statista 2023), adding pressure to this investigation.
Yoon’s Legal Team Responds
Yoon’s legal representatives have strongly condemned the warrant request.
“We have thoroughly refuted the allegations and demonstrated that, as a matter of law, no crime can be established. The special counsel failed to present any objective evidence during the investigation, and even based on witness testimony, the charges do not hold.”
—Yoon’s Legal Team
They argue that the special counsel’s investigation lacks objective evidence and that the charges are baseless.
Impeachment and Suspension Preceded Current Legal Battles
**Yoon** was formally removed from his presidential post in April, following impeachment proceedings and suspension by lawmakers due to his actions on December 3, which were deemed an attempt to undermine civilian governance. The incident involved deploying armed soldiers to the parliament.
The court previously rejected an earlier arrest warrant request after **Yoon** initially declined to cooperate with questioning. However, he later agreed to comply with future summons.
The Seoul Central District Court will now consider the detention warrant request, setting the stage for further legal proceedings in this high-profile case.