Seoul [South Korea], December 31 : A Seoul court on Tuesday approved a warrant to detain former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over his failed attempt to impose martial law, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency.
Notably, this marks the first instance of a sitting president in the country facing arrest.
The report stated citing sources, that the Seoul Western District Court granted the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) permission to issue the warrant.
Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly over his attempt to impose martial law in the country on December 3.
The court also authorized a warrant to search Yoon's presidential residence in Yongsan, Seoul, as part of the ongoing investigation. The CIO sought the detention warrant after Yoon failed to comply with three separate summonses for questioning regarding the brief martial law enactment.
CIO officials are expected to execute the warrant soon. Once detained, the agency will have 48 hours to decide whether to request an arrest warrant for extended detention or release him. Detention warrants are typically valid for seven days.
While issuing the warrants, the court rejected Yoon's claims that the CIO lacks jurisdiction over insurrection cases and that the warrant request was therefore illegal. The court also dismissed Yoon's claims that he couldn't attend questioning sessions because arrangements for his personal safety and security detail, as the president, had not been made, Yonhap reported.
Following the warrant's issuance, the Presidential Security Service stated that it would handle the matter in accordance with legal procedures. Although Yoon enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution as president, South Korean law excludes charges of insurrection or treason from this privilege.
Earlier on December 14, Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly over his attempt to impose martial law in the country. The members of the unicameral National Assembly had voted 204 to 85 to impeach South Korea's President.
Three members of the National Assembly abstained from voting while eight votes were declared invalid. The voting was conducted through a secret ballot, with two-thirds of the vote needed for impeachment. All 300 members of the assembly cast their votes.
After his impeachment, Yoon was suspended from office.
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