Yoon Suk Yeol personally attended the interrogation to protest the arrest warrant.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol decided to attend the trial to explain the legality of the imposition of martial law and to restore his reputation.

Mr. Yoon visited the Office of Investigation into Corruption Against Senior Officials (CIO) on January 15.

According to Yonhap News Agency, impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court in Seoul, South Korea, on January 18 to protest the possibility of being formally detained in connection with his declaration of martial law last month.

The hearing at the West Seoul District Court began at 2 p.m. (local time), adjourned at 5:30 p.m. for a break, before resuming. Mr. Yoon, dressed in a suit, spoke for 40 minutes.

Seok Dong-hyeon, one of Yoon's lawyers, said that prosecutors from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Office (CIO) presented the case regarding Yoon's arrest, while the lawyers presented their arguments via PowerPoint.

What is happening inside the detention facility where South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is being held?

The impeached president was arrested on January 15 on charges of conspiracy to rebel and abuse of power, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

Mr. Yoon was brought to court from a detention center in Uiwang, about 20 kilometers south of Seoul, in a blue van escorted by police and the Presidential Security Service.

The motorcade avoided the designated photo zone for the media and proceeded directly to the courthouse building, while thousands of his supporters gathered nearby.

Police (in light-colored uniforms) and protesters supporting Yoon outside the courthouse on January 18.

Yoon's lawyer, Yun Gap-geun, said that he decided to attend the trial to explain the legality of the imposition of martial law and to restore his reputation.

His lawyers argued that the declaration of martial law was an administrative act and could not be subject to a court ruling, as it was implemented to overcome a national crisis caused by the opposition's impeachment of cabinet members, a legal impasse, and unilateral budget cuts.

Judges at the West Seoul District Court are expected to issue a ruling soon. If the court issues the order, Yoon would become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be formally arrested.

The formal arrest will allow investigators to extend his detention to 20 days, during which time they will transfer the case to prosecutors for prosecution.

If rejected, the president would be released and return to his residence, further solidifying his claim that the ongoing investigations into his martial law order and impeachment are unfounded.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-yoon-suk-yeol-dich-than-du-tham-van-de-phan-doi-lenh-bat-185250118170724739.htm