A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for impeached and suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, investigators announced on Tuesday, due to his brief attempt to impose martial law.
On December 3, Yoon suspended civilian rule, leading South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades. As a result of this action, he was stripped of his presidential duties by parliament; however, a constitutional court ruling is still pending regarding the confirmation of his impeachment.
The Joint Investigation Headquarters stated, “The arrest warrant and search warrant were issued this morning.” The conservative leader faces serious criminal charges of insurrection, which could lead to life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
Investigators requested the arrest warrant on Monday after Yoon failed to appear for questioning for the third time.
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“There is a concern that the individual may refuse to comply with the summons without justifiable reasons,” an official from the Corruption Investigation Office told reporters on Tuesday.
The official also indicated that there was “sufficient probable cause” to suspect a crime had been committed. The warrant is valid until January 6, and Yoon is likely to be held at the Seoul detention centre.
Yoon’s lawyer described the warrant as “illegal and invalid,” arguing that investigators lacked the authority to investigate the president.
In a statement sent to AFP, lawyer Yoon Kab-keun said, “The arrest warrant and search and seizure warrant issued at the request of an agency without investigative authority are illegal and invalid.”
He maintained that his client is not guilty of insurrection and asserted that there was no intention to disrupt “the constitutional order” or stage “an uprising.”
Additionally, investigators raided the army’s Counterintelligence Command offices on Tuesday and indicted two high-ranking commanders on charges related to insurrection and abuse of authority.
