South Korea: Impeached President Yoon Arrested, Becomes Country's First Sitting Premier To Face Action
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has plans to transfer Yoon’s custody to the prosecution after 10 days.
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested on Sunday after a court issued a warrant for his extended detention due to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December. This is the first time in the country that a sitting president has been detained.
According to Yonhap, a judge at the Seoul Western District Court granted the warrant on charges Yoon led an insurrection and abused his power when he declared martial law on December 3. He also, allegedly, sent troops to the National Assembly to stop lawmakers from voting down the decree.
With the warrant, Yoon can be detained for up to 20 days, including the time he has already spent in a detention centre since his apprehension at his Seoul residence on Wednesday.
The new agency reported, that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has plans to transfer Yoon’s custody to the prosecution after 10 days. The prosecution is then expected to continue the investigation and indict him before the 20 days expire.
CIO officials said that they will carry out a probe into the president "in accordance with the law and procedures," as per Yonhap.
Meanwhile, Yoon’s lawyers argue that the martial law attempt was an "act of governance" and should not be subject to judicial review, as it was carried out to address a national crisis triggered by opposition-led impeachments of Cabinet members, legislative gridlock, and unilateral budget cuts.
South Korea’s constitution gives the president the power to use the military to keep order in wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states, as per AP. Martial law powers can include suspending civil rights such as freedom of the press and assembly and temporarily limiting the powers of the courts and government agencies.
The impeachment motion against Yoon alleges that he imposed martial law far beyond his legitimate powers and in a situation that did not meet the constitutional standard of a severe crisis.
Once the warrant was granted, citizens in support of Yoon's detention rejoiced. While those in support of the president broke windows of the court and pushed their way into the court in protest, creating a commotion. Some threw a plastic chair, trash and other items at police officers surrounding the court building.
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