The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk-yeol in the early hours of the 10th. The special investigation team responsible for probing the emergency martial law incident subsequently carried out the arrest.
This is Yoon Suk-yeol’s second arrest, coming four months after his release.
On the afternoon and into the evening of the 9th, the Seoul Central District Court conducted a 6 hour and 40 minute pre-arrest interrogation of Yoon Suk-yeol, specifically a review of the necessity of his arrest. At 2:07 am on the 10th, the court issued the arrest warrant, citing "concerns about (the suspect) destroying evidence."
During the interrogation, Yoon Suk-yeol denied all charges. After the questioning ended on the night of the 9th, Yoon Suk-yeol was sent to the Seoul Detention Center. Following the issuing of the arrest warrant, Yoon was immediately detained.
On the 6th, the special investigation team applied to the court for Yoon Suk-yeol’s arrest, citing suspected abuse of power and other charges. After his arrest, the special investigation team will carry out investigations for up to 20 days.
Previously, the special investigation team stated that Yoon Suk-yeol is suspected of obstructing the performance of special official duties, violating the Presidential Security Act, abuse of power, and forging documents, among other charges. As the arrest application highlights that rebellion charges were partially substantiated during investigations by the prosecution and police, further investigations are expected to focus on Yoon’s suspected treason, including allegedly sending drones to intrude into North Korea's capital Pyongyang to provoke the North as a pretext for declaring martial law.
On December 3 last year, Yoon Suk-yeol, then President of South Korea, declared an emergency martial law. On December 14 of the same month, the South Korean National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against Yoon, immediately suspending his presidential powers. On January 15 this year, Yoon was arrested for the first time, becoming the first sitting president in South Korean constitutional history to be arrested. On March 8, Yoon was released from the Seoul Detention Center. On April 4, the Constitutional Court of Korea announced the approval of his impeachment, and Yoon was removed from his presidential post.