Seoul [South Korea], December 31: Yonhap news agency reported on December 31 that a court in Seoul has approved a request from law enforcement agencies to arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in connection with the imposition of martial law, making him the first sitting president of the country to face an arrest warrant.
According to sources, the Seoul Western District Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Yoon on charges of masterminding the failed martial law declaration on December 3, directing the rebellion and abusing power.
Earlier, the Corruption Investigation Office of Senior Officials (CIO) filed an arrest warrant after Mr. Yoon ignored all three summonses from the anti-corruption agency asking him to appear in court for questioning over the brief martial law.
The court order gives the CIO 48 hours to arrest Mr. Yoon for questioning and issue an arrest warrant.
However, there remains uncertainty over whether the CIO can carry out the warrant, as the Presidential Security Service has blocked investigators from entering both the presidential office complex and Mr. Yoon's official residence, citing military security concerns.
While Mr. Yoon enjoys presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, that privilege does not extend to charges of rebellion or treason.
Mr Yoon's defence team has argued that the CIO has no legal authority to investigate sedition, a charge that police are technically entitled to investigate under the current system.
CIO leader Oh Dong-woon said that unlike search warrants, arrest or detention orders issued by courts cannot be legally obstructed, even by the president.
Mr Yoon was suspended from office after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach him on December 14 over martial law that lasted six hours before being overturned in a parliamentary vote.
The Constitutional Court has begun proceedings to consider whether to remove or reinstate Mr Yoon. The court has 180 days from December 14 to make a decision.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper