South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been impeached by parliament, must remain in prison for another 20 days. A court in Seoul said on Sunday (local time) that it had issued an official arrest warrant to extend Yoon’s detention over “concerns that the suspect might destroy evidence.” After the court ruling, hundreds of Yoon’s supporters stormed the courthouse.
Tens of thousands of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the Seoul District Court. At dawn, some of them broke windows and doors and broke into the courthouse. Journalists from the AFP news agency watched as hundreds of police entered the building and arrested dozens of protesters. Police denounced an “unacceptable illegal and violent incident.”
Yoon said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the storm. At the same time, he said he saw the “frustration and anger of many citizens.” The deposed president called for “perseverance in righting every injustice, no matter how long it takes.”
Arrested Wednesday
Yoon was arrested Wednesday morning on an arrest warrant related to his brief declaration of martial law in early December. The arrest warrant expired on Friday and investigators from the Corruption Investigations Office (CIO) subsequently requested a twenty-day extension. On Saturday, Yoon appeared in court for the first time since his detention.
Yoon spoke “truthfully about the facts, evidence and legal issues,” his lawyer Yoon Kab-keun said after Saturday’s hearing. Before the appointment, he said his client hoped to “restore his honor” before the judges. The court decided to maintain Yoon’s detention for approximately 20 more days.
In a statement released by his lawyers, Yoon said he would seek to determine the “purpose and legitimacy of imposing martial law.”
Warning of violence
Yoon’s lawyer Seok Dong-hyeon criticized the judge’s decision and warned the president’s supporters not to escalate the situation. The violence could burden the president’s future trials, he pointed out.
Lawyer and columnist Yoo Jung-hoon said the attack on a court in South Korea was unprecedented and those involved would likely be sentenced to prison. Yoo emphasized that Yoon is expected to remain in prison. The court attached great importance to the president’s attempts to destroy evidence. Prosecutors are now expected to file riot charges. If Yoon is found guilty, he faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
The authorities want to summon Yoon again
Yoon declined to attend a hearing on Sunday, the CIO said. The authority plans to summon the president again on Monday at 10 a.m. (local time).
Yoon stayed away from a parallel trial by the Constitutional Court, which would decide whether Yoon should be impeached. If the court rules against Yoon, he will lose the presidency and new elections will be called within 60 days.
Yoon’s supporters see election fraud
Yoon’s supporters denounce voter fraud in the general election and view Yoon’s declaration of martial law as justified. Many of them have adopted Donald Trump’s “stolen election rhetoric” and waved the American flag in their protests.
The president briefly declared martial law in South Korea in early December, plunging the country into a political crisis. He used this measure in a budget dispute that caused concern at home and abroad.
As a result, tens of thousands of people took to the streets against Yoon and for the preservation of democracy in South Korea, but Yoon’s supporters also demonstrated. Yoon is South Korea’s first sitting head of state to be arrested.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
