Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court for the first time on Saturday, attending a hearing to determine whether his detention would be extended as investigators probe his failed attempt to impose martial law.
Yoon, who has claimed that his arrest is unlawful, sparked national turmoil on December 3 when he attempted to suspend civilian rule, citing the need to counter threats from “anti-state elements.” His martial law bid, however, lasted only six hours, as lawmakers swiftly rejected it, despite Yoon’s orders for soldiers to storm parliament in a bid to prevent the vote.
Yoon was impeached by the South Korean parliament following the incident and resisted arrest for weeks, remaining at his guarded residence until he was finally detained in a dawn raid on Wednesday.
As the first sitting president in South Korean history to be detained, Yoon has refused to cooperate during the initial 48 hours of his detention. However, he remains in custody after investigators requested an extension of his detention on Friday, prompting a review by a judge at the Seoul Western District Court. The judge’s decision on whether to approve the new detention warrant is expected Saturday night or early Sunday.
Ahead of the hearing, Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, told AFP that the president would attend with the intent to “restore his honour.” If the new warrant is granted, it is expected to extend his detention by 20 days, providing prosecutors time to finalize an indictment.
Yoon is under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) for insurrection, a charge that could result in a life sentence or the death penalty if he is convicted.
In the days leading up to the court appearance, Yoon stated that he agreed to leave his residence to avoid “bloodshed,” but reiterated that he did not accept the legitimacy of the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, his supporters, waving South Korean and American flags, gathered outside the court, demanding that judges reject the request to extend his detention. The court closed its public entrance on Friday evening, citing safety concerns.
Yoon’s refusal to answer questions from investigators has left his legal team asserting that the president had already clarified his position during his detention on Wednesday. He also did not attend a parallel investigation at the Constitutional Court, which is deciding whether to uphold his impeachment. If the court rules against him, he will lose the presidency, and elections will be held within 60 days.
Although Yoon won the 2022 presidential election, the opposition Democratic Party holds a majority in parliament, having won the legislative elections the previous year. The Democratic Party has celebrated Yoon’s arrest, with a senior official calling it “the first step” toward restoring constitutional and legal order.
As pressure mounts on the embattled leader, parliament passed a bill late Friday to launch a special counsel investigation into Yoon’s failed martial law attempt.
AFP
