HOT! South Korean court orders arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol

A Seoul court on December 31 approved a request by law enforcement agencies to arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his role in imposing martial law on December 3.

Yoon Suk Yeol becomes the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest. (Source: South Korean Presidential Office)

Yonhap news agency reported that, according to sources, the Seoul Western District Court has issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of masterminding the failed declaration of martial law on December 3, staging a rebellion and abusing power.

The order makes Yoon Suk Yeol the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest.

South Korea's Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) has filed an arrest warrant after the leader ignored three summonses from the anti-graft agency to appear for questioning over the imposition of martial law.

The court order gives the CIO 48 hours to take Mr. Yoon into custody for questioning and apply for an arrest warrant.

However, there remains uncertainty over whether the CIO can execute the warrant, as the Presidential Protective Service has blocked investigators from entering both the presidential office compound and the leader's official residence to conduct court-approved searches, citing military security.

Although Yoon Suk Yeol enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution as President, this privilege does not apply to charges of rebellion or treason.

The South Korean leader's defense team opposed the arrest and search warrant, arguing that the CIO had no legal authority to investigate sedition, a crime that police are technically entitled to investigate under the current system.

Unlike a search warrant, no one is legally allowed to obstruct an arrest or detention order issued by a court, including the President, according to CIO chief Oh Dong-woon.

President Yoon Suk-yeol was suspended from office after the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14 over the imposition of martial law. The Constitutional Court has begun a review to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. The court has 180 days from December 14 to make a decision.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has denied all accusations against him over the martial law declaration, insisting that his move was an "administrative act" to warn the opposition party against what he called "abuse of legislative power".

The crisis became more serious after Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was impeached by the National Assembly for not signing bills to investigate Yoon Suk Yeol.

After Mr. Han Duck Soo was impeached, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang Mok became the acting President and acting Prime Minister of South Korea.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nong-toa-an-han-quoc-ra-lenh-bat-giu-tong-thong-yoon-suk-yeol-299221.html