South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has announced his intention to comply with an indictment or a preliminary detention warrant, according to his defense counsel on Wednesday. This statement follows the extension of an arrest warrant issued against the impeached president the previous day.
Yoon's defense team stated that he plans to participate in a court trial if he is indicted or if a preliminary detention warrant is pursued. A preliminary warrant allows prosecutors to detain a suspect who cannot be immediately apprehended, typically for up to 20 days, though the specific duration is determined by a judge.
The defense counsel emphasized that Yoon would not engage with investigations based on what they described as an \"invalid\" arrest warrant. They asserted that any detention warrant should be officially issued by the Seoul Central District Court to be considered legitimate.
Yoon Kab-keun, one of Yoon's lawyers, refuted claims by some members of parliament suggesting that Yoon had fled the presidential residence. He clarified that he had met with the president on Tuesday, labeling the rumors as \"malicious\" attempts to tarnish Yoon's reputation.
On Tuesday, the Seoul Western District Court issued a second warrant to arrest Yoon for up to 48 hours, extending the validity of the initial arrest warrant that had expired on Monday. Earlier, investigators had attempted to arrest Yoon at the presidential residence on January 3, but the attempt was thwarted by the presidential security service.
The joint investigation unit involved in seeking Yoon's arrest comprises the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the National Office of Investigation, and the defense ministry's investigative headquarters. The National Assembly had passed an impeachment motion against Yoon on December 14 last year, which was then sent to the constitutional court for deliberation over a period of up to 180 days. During this time, Yoon's presidential powers were suspended.
Yoon has been named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader in an insurrection charge. In response, he declared martial law on the night of December 3, a declaration that was subsequently revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
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Yoon Suk-yeol to comply with indictment, preliminary detention warrant
cgtn.com
