A Seoul court has issued an arrest warrant against South Korea’s suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol following his attempt to impose martial law on December 3rd. This legal action emerged as Yoon faced investigations for abuse of power and inciting insurrection after ignoring three summonses to appear for questioning in the past two weeks.
Yoon’s legal team has labeled the warrant as “illegal and invalid,” asserting their intention to challenge it in court. The country has been engulfed in a political crisis since the brief martial law declaration, resulting in both Yoon and his successor being impeached by parliament.
Notably, Yoon is the first sitting president in South Korean history to face an arrest warrant. Investigators have until January 6 to execute this warrant, with the possibility of requesting an extension. However, it remains uncertain whether they can carry out this action due to potential obstructions from Yoon’s security team and demonstrators.
Previously, South Korean authorities have faced challenges in arresting high-profile politicians, especially when their aides and supporters physically prevented police entry. Yoon’s legal representatives have argued that the investigators lack the authority to arrest him, claiming that declaring martial law falls within the president’s constitutional rights.
Yoon has defended his martial law decision, vowing to “fight to the end,” while also expressing his willingness to face his legal and political responsibilities. His lawyer stated that Yoon’s non-compliance with the summons stemmed from “legitimate concerns.”
Yoon’s current whereabouts are not publicly disclosed, yet he is prohibited from leaving the country. Though suspended from presidential duties since December 14 due to impeachment, he can only be removed from office if the constitutional court upholds the impeachment decision.
At present, the constitutional court consists of only six judges out of the required nine, meaning a single dissenting vote could keep Yoon in office. Opposition lawmakers had sought the appointment of three additional judges to bolster their impeachment chances, but this initiative was recently vetoed by the prime minister. In retaliation, the opposition has voted to impeach the prime minister, who assumed the acting leadership role post-Yoon’s suspension. They are now also threatening to take similar action against the finance minister, who is currently serving as both acting president and acting prime minister.
