In a significant development, South Korea's joint investigation unit has sought an extension of the arrest warrant for the impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. This move comes in the wake of a recent unsuccessful attempt to detain Yoon during his brief imposition of martial law.
The investigation unit, comprising the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the National Office of Investigation (NOI) of the Korean National Police Agency, and the defense ministry's investigative headquarters, formally requested the Seoul Western District Court to extend the existing arrest warrant. The original warrant was issued on December 31 last year.
The extension request follows a botched attempt to arrest Yoon on January 3, when CIO investigators and police officers tried to detain him at the presidential residence. However, the presidential security service intervened, preventing the execution of the arrest warrant, which was set to expire at midnight on January 6.
Yoon's impeachment was passed by the National Assembly on December 14, 2024, and subsequently referred to the constitutional court for deliberation over a period of up to 180 days. During this time, Yoon's presidential powers were suspended. Investigative agencies have labeled Yoon as a suspected ringleader on an insurrection charge, a charge linked to his declaration of martial law on December 3, which the National Assembly ultimately revoked.
The extension of the arrest warrant underscores the ongoing political turbulence in South Korea and the heightened scrutiny of Yoon's actions during his short tenure.
Reference(s):
S. Korea's investigation unit seeks arrest warrant extension for Yoon
cgtn.com
