A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol over his imposition of martial law earlier in December.
The warrant also allows for his office and residence to be searched in connection with the ongoing investigation into the events of Dec. 3, when Yoon declared martial law, only to reverse the decision six hours later.
A statement from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) said the Seoul Western District Court had issued warrants against Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14.
When he declared martial law, he blamed “anti-state forces” and described the liberal opposition Democratic Party (DP) as a “monster” that was using its majority in the National Assembly to undermine the government’s budget proposals. He also accused the DP of sympathizing with communist North Korea.
He has argued that the martial law decree was a legitimate act of governance, but he is being investigated for rebellion and, if convicted, he could technically face the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Yoon has presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, but it does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.
The presidential security service said it would continue to provide security to Yoon, in accordance with the law.
‘No Way to Detain Him’
Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership, said: “Unless Yoon voluntarily lets them detain him, there is no way to detain him. Should investigators have hand-to-hand fights with the security service?”On Dec. 3, hundreds of troops and police officers were deployed to the National Assembly, but lawmakers refused to approve his martial law decree, forcing him to reverse the decision.
It will be up to the Constitutional Court—the highest court in South Korea—to determine whether Yoon should be permanently excluded as president, or reinstated.
If it decides on the former course, a new presidential election will have to be called.
Yoon, who leads the conservative People Power Party (PPP), was elected in March 2022, narrowly defeating the DP candidate Lee Jae-myung.
On Tuesday, the acting leader of the PPP, Kweon Seong-dong, said it was inappropriate to try to detain a sitting president.
Yoon’s defense minister, police chief, and several senior military commanders have been arrested and questioned over their roles in the martial law enactment.
Yoon has claimed he sent troops to the National Assembly to maintain order and denied planning to arrest politicians.
Kwak Jong-keun, the commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, told the National Assembly he did not obey an order by Yoon to “quickly knock down the door and drag out the lawmakers who are inside.”
