South Korean Court Upholds Detention of President Yoon Suk-yeol Over Martial Law Probe, CIO to Seek Formal Arrest

Jan 16, 2025, 03:04 PM

A South Korean court on Thursday rejected a petition challenging the detention of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was arrested over a martial law probe. The Seoul Central District Court upheld the legality of Yoon's arrest, dismissing claims by his legal team that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) lacked jurisdiction over the case and that the arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid. Yoon, who did not attend the closed-door hearing due to security concerns, was detained in his presidential residence on Wednesday, marking him as the country's first sitting president to be arrested. The CIO is expected to seek a formal arrest of Yoon on Friday, following the court's decision.