Official election results from South Korean election commission

South Korean Court Approves Arrest Warrant for Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Over Insurrection Charges

Jan 18, 2025, 06:21 AM

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested after the Seoul Western District Court approved an arrest warrant early Saturday over insurrection charges linked to his failed martial law declaration on December 3. Yoon, who was impeached and detained earlier in the week, had repeatedly refused to participate in questioning by investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). After Yoon's lawyers failed to secure his release on Thursday, investigators requested to extend his detention by up to 20 days. Yoon appeared in court on Saturday to contest the extension, marking his first public appearance since his arrest. During the proceedings, Yoon conveyed through his lawyer that he was "doing well" in the detention center. The court's decision makes him the first sitting president in South Korean history to be formally arrested. The investigations focus on Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration on December 3, which led to accusations of insurrection and abuse of power.