The responsible investigators in South Korea have requested an arrest warrant for the now suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol. The motion is the first attempt in South Korea’s constitutional history to force the arrest of a sitting president. Yoon failed to show up for questioning three times as part of the investigation into the controversial declaration of martial law.
The Joint Investigative Committee has “applied for an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk-yeol” at the relevant court in Seoul, the investigation team said on Monday after Yoon failed to report for questioning. The Public Prosecution Service and a joint team of police, Ministry of Defense and anti-corruption agency are investigating him. This aims to investigate the circumstances of the controversial, short-term declaration of martial law.
Shocked at home and abroad
Yoon, who is now suspended, surprisingly used the declaration of martial law on December 3 over a budget dispute with the opposition, raising alarms both at home and abroad. However, the opposition-dominated parliament used its veto power in a dramatic session, after which Yoon lifted martial law after a few hours.
Since then, there have been mass protests in South Korea against the head of state, who has now been suspended by parliament.
Country in deep political crisis
Yoon’s actions have caused South Korea’s worst political crisis in decades. Tensions further worsened last week when parliament voted to also impeach Yoon’s successor, interim President Han Duck-soo. The opposition had called for the vote because previous Prime Minister Han had refused to complete Yoon’s impeachment process. Choi Sang-mok is now prime minister and interim president.
Source: Krone
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