Seoul, Dec 30 (NationPress) The joint investigation unit in South Korea revealed on Monday its pursuit of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol concerning his temporary declaration of martial law, thereby making him the first sitting President to potentially face arrest.
The investigation team stated that the warrant request was made on charges of insurrection and abuse of power after Yoon disregarded three summons to attend questioning.
This request was submitted to the Seoul Western District Court just after midnight on Sunday, and the team consists of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), police, and the investigation unit of the Defence ministry.
According to investigators, Yoon initiated an insurrection and misused his authority by declaring martial law on December 3, allegedly directing military personnel to the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from rejecting the decree.
Yoon has refuted the allegations, asserting that his martial law declaration was a 'governance measure' aimed at warning the opposition party against what he termed as an abuse of legislative authority.
In reaction, Yun Gap-geun, one of Yoon’s legal advisers, stated that they plan to file a document of opinions regarding the arrest warrant request and will notify the appointment of lawyers later in the day, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Yun previously promised to undertake 'formal measures' in response to the CIO's actions.
"This is a request from an agency that lacks the jurisdiction to investigate (insurrection charges)," he told Yonhap News Agency, referring to the CIO.
On December 26, South Korea's anti-corruption investigation agency summoned President Yoon Suk Yeol to answer questions regarding his brief martial law declaration. The CIO for high-ranking officials issued a summons, requiring Yoon to appear at its office in Gwacheon, located just south of Seoul.
This represented the CIO's third summons after Yoon ignored two earlier requests, including one for questioning on Christmas Day.
The CIO collaborated with the police and the Defence ministry's investigation unit to probe accusations that Yoon had incited an insurrection and misused his authority during the martial law declaration on December 3.
Meanwhile, President Yoon's political future remains uncertain as the Constitutional Court deliberates his impeachment trial due to the brief martial law declaration, raising alarms about a potential leadership vacuum amidst ongoing economic and security challenges.
Yoon is facing a challenging legal scenario following his impeachment and increasing investigations into his unsuccessful attempt to impose military rule on the nation's democratic framework on December 3. The impeached President has maintained that his martial law declaration was a governance measure and has denied the insurrection charges.
