Suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been arrested and taken into custody, according to reports from Yonhap, one of the country’s largest news outlets.
The arrest warrant, which was issued on December 31, comes from Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3.
The martial law declaration was seen as a drastic measure, prompted by Yoon’s frustration with the opposition-dominated parliament’s refusal to pass key items on his political agenda. However, the move backfired, and parliament unanimously rejected the declaration, suspending Yoon on December 14 in a 204-85 vote that included members of his own party.
The president’s legal counsel had argued that the warrant was impossible to execute under a law barring non-consensual searches of locations potentially linked to military secrets. Moreover, Yoon’s lawyers decried the warrant as an illegal means of publicly humiliating him.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok emphasized the need for caution, stating, “As I have repeatedly emphasized the need for prevention of physical conflict between state agencies… I will sternly hold those responsible if unfortunate events occur.”
This is the first ever to be levied against a sitting South Korean president. If the court upholds the motion with a three-fourths majority, Yoon will be formally impeached.
