FIle picture of South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court Thursday (February 20, 2025) for a hearing where his lawyers contested his arrest on a criminal charge alleging he was orchestrating a rebellion when he briefly imposed martial law in December.

Security was heightened as the motorcade transporting Mr. Yoon arrived at the Seoul Central District Court and dozens of his supporters rallied nearby.

Mr. Yoon becomes the country’s first sitting head of state to stand trial in a criminal case.

The preliminary hearing will involve discussions of witnesses and other preparations for his criminal trial, and the court was also to review the request by Mr. Yoon’s lawyers to cancel his arrest and release him from custody. Such challenges are rarely successful.

Mr. Yoon was indicted on January 26 on the rebellion charge carrying a potential punishment of death or life in prison. In South Korea, presidents have immunity from most criminal prosecutions, but not on charges of rebellion or treason.

The indictment alleges his imposition of martial law was an illegal attempt to shut down the National Assembly and arrest politicians and election authorities. The conservative Mr. Yoon has said his martial law declaration was intended as a temporary warning to the liberal opposition and that he had always planned to respect lawmakers’ will if they voted to lift the measure.

Mr. Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended when he was impeached Dec. 14, and South Korea’s Constitutional Court is nearing a decision on whether to formally remove him from office or dismiss the Assembly’s impeachment and reinstate him.

EDITORIAL | Costly miscalculation: On the South Korean President’s announcement of martial law

Martial law was lifted about six hours after Mr. Yoon declared it but has caused political turmoil, disrupted high-level diplomacy and tested the resiliency of the country’s democracy. Mr. Yoon’s conservative supporters rioted at the Seoul Western District Court after it authorized his arrest last month, while his lawyers and ruling party have openly questioned the credibility of courts and law enforcement institutions handling the case.

Mr. Yoon has continued to express contempt for his liberal rivals for obstructing his agenda and endorsed baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud to justify his ill-fated authoritarian push.

Mr. Yoon’s defence minister, police chief and several military commanders have also been arrested and indicted on rebellion, abuse of power and other charges related to the martial law decree, which involved hundreds of heavily armed troops deployed to the National Assembly and National Election Commission offices.

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea on January 21, 2025. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

“South Korean prosecutors on Sunday (January 26, 2025) indicted the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his imposition of martial law last month,” news reports said.

Yonhap news agency reported that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Yoon over rebellion in connection with his December 3 decree that plunged the country into massive political turmoil. Other South Korean media outlets have carried similar reports.

Repeated calls to the prosecutors’ office were unanswered.

Mr. Yoon was earlier impeached and arrested over the martial law decree. The Constitutional Court is separately deliberating whether to formally dismiss Mr. Yoon as President or reinstate him.

Mr. Yoon, a conservative, has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, calling his martial law a legitimate act of governance meant to raise public awareness of the danger of the liberal-controlled National Assembly which obstructed his agenda and impeached top officials.

During his announcement of martial law, Mr. Yoon called the assembly “a den of criminals” and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces”.

Police officers stand guard at the front gate of the Seoul Western District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested early on Sunday (January 19, 2025), days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul. He faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month.

Mr. Yoon’s arrest could mark the beginning of an extended period in custody, lasting months or more.

The decision to arrest Mr. Yoon triggered unrest at the Seoul Western District Court, where dozens of his supporters destroyed the court’s main door and windows. They used plastic chairs and police shields that they managed to wrestle away from officers. Some got inside the building and were seen throwing objects and using fire extinguishers.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed to suppress the riot at the court. Nearly 90 protesters were arrested onsite, while some injured police officers were seen being treated at ambulance vans. It wasn’t immediately clear whether any court staff were injured.

Following eight hours of deliberation, the court granted law enforcement’s request for an arrest warrant for Mr. Yoon, saying he was a threat to destroy evidence. Mr. Yoon and his lawyers on Saturday appeared before the court and argued for his release.

Mr. Yoon, who has been in detention since he was apprehended Wednesday in a massive law enforcement operation at his residential compound, faces potential rebellion charges linked to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, which set off the country’s most serious political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and the military, can now extend Mr. Yoon’s detention to 20 days, during which they will transfer the case to public prosecutors for indictment.

Mr. Yoon’s lawyers could also file a petition to challenge the court’s arrest warrant.

Mr. Yoon’s appearance in court triggered chaotic scenes in nearby streets, where thousands of his fervent supporters rallied for hours calling for his release. Even before the court issued the warrant for Mr. Yoon’s arrest, protesters repeatedly clashed with police who detained dozens of them, including about 20 who climbed over a fence in an attempt to approach the court. At least two vehicles carrying anti-corruption investigators were damaged as they left the court after arguing for Mr. Yoon’s arrest.

Mr. Yoon’s lawyers said he spoke for about 40 minutes to the judge during the nearly five-hour closed-door hearing Saturday. His legal team and anti-corruption agencies presented opposing arguments about whether he should be held in custody.

Mr. Yoon’s Defence Minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested and indicted for their roles in the enforcement of martial law.

The crisis began when Mr. Yoon, in an attempt to break through legislative gridlock, imposed military rule and sent troops to the National Assembly and election offices. The standoff lasted only hours after lawmakers who managed to get through a blockade voted to lift the measure. The opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14.

His political fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which is deliberating whether to formally remove him from office or reinstate him.

Seok Dong-hyeon, one of Mr. Yoon’s lawyers, called the court’s decision to issue the warrant “the epitome of anti-constitutionalism and anti-rule of law,” maintaining the president’s claim that his martial law decree was a legitimate act of governance. He pointed to the chaos at the Seoul Western Court and said Yoon’s arrest would inspire more anger from his supporters. Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party regretted his arrest but also pleaded for his supporters to refrain from further violence.

The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which drove the legislative effort to impeach Mr. Yoon on Dec. 14, said his arrest would be a “cornerstone for restoring the collapsed constitutional order.”

Mr. Yoon was transported to the court from a detention centre in Uiwang, near Seoul, in a blue Justice Ministry van escorted by police and the presidential security service, to attend the hearing at the court ahead of its warrant decision.

The motorcade entered the court’s basement parking space as thousands of Mr. Yoon’s supporters gathered in nearby streets amid a heavy police presence. Following the hearing, Mr. Yoon was transported back to the detention center, where he awaited the decision. He did not speak to reporters.

After its investigators were attacked by protesters later on Saturday, the anti-corruption agency asked media companies to obscure the faces of its members attending the hearing.

Mr. Yoon and his lawyers have claimed that the martial law declaration was intended as a temporary and “peaceful” warning to the liberal opposition, which he accuses of obstructing his agenda with its legislative majority. Mr. Yoon says the troops sent to the National Election Commission offices were to investigate election fraud allegations, which remains unsubstantiated in South Korea.

Mr. Yoon has stressed he had no intention of stopping the functioning of the legislature. He stated that the troops were sent there to maintain order, not prevent lawmakers from entering and voting to lift martial law. He denied allegations that he ordered the arrests of key politicians and election officials.

Military commanders, however, have described a deliberate attempt to seize the legislature that was thwarted by hundreds of civilians and legislative staff who helped lawmakers enter the assembly, and by the troops’ reluctance or refusal to follow Mr. Yoon’s orders.

If prosecutors indict Mr. Yoon on rebellion and abuse of power charges, which are the allegations now being examined by investigators, they could keep him in custody for up to six months before trial.

If the first court convicts him and issues a prison term, Mr. Yoon would serve that sentence as the case possibly moves up to the Seoul High Court and Supreme Court. Under South Korean law, orchestrating a rebellion is punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty.

 South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained in a massive law enforcement operation at the presidential compound Wednesday (January 15, 2025), defiantly insisting the anti-corruption agency didn’t have the authority to investigate his actions but saying he complied to prevent violence.

In a video message recorded before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented the “rule of law has completely collapsed in this country.”

Mr. Yoon, the country’s first sitting president to be apprehended, had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to “fight to the end” the efforts to oust him. He has justified his declaration of martial law Dec. 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an “anti-state” opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said Yoon was brought into custody about five hours after investigators arrived at the presidential compound and about three hours after they successfully entered the residence, in their second attempt to detain him over his imposition of martial law.

A series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, were seen leaving the presidential compound with police escorts. Yoon was later seen stepping out of a vehicle after arriving at the agency’s office in the nearby city of Gwacheon. Following the questioning, Mr. Yoon was expected to be sent to a detention center in Uiwang, near Seoul.

What’s next?

The anti-corruption agency, which is leading a joint investigation with the police and the military over whether Yoon’s martial law declaration amounted to an attempted rebellion, has 48 hours to request a court order for a formal arrest on a charge of attempting a rebellion, and if it fails to do so, Mr. Yoon will be released. If Mr. Yoon is formally arrested, investigators can extend his detention to 20 days before transferring the case to public prosecutors for indictment.

The anti-corruption agency told reporters that Mr. Yoon, during his first two hours of questioning, exercised his right to remain silent.

The detainment warrant for Mr. Yoon, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, said there were substantial reasons to suspect that he committed crimes as a “ringleader of a rebellion.”

Mr. Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended when parliament impeached him on December 14. The impeachment case now rests with the Constitutional Court, which could formally remove Yoon from office or reject the case and reinstate him.

In a separate message posted on his Facebook account after his detainment, Mr. Yoon claimed that “martial law is not a crime,” saying his declaration was necessary to raise awareness about an opposition that was exercising “legislative dictatorship by blocking laws and budgets” and “paralyzing” state affairs. He denied the rebellion accusations, describing his impeachment as “fraud.”

The scene at the compound

As they began the detention operation in the early morning, the anti-corruption investigators and police officers engaged in an hourslong standoff at the compound’s gate with presidential security forces but otherwise encountered no meaningful resistance.

Police officers were seen using wire cutters to remove the barbed wire placed by the presidential security service on the perimeter of the compound to block their entry. Some police officers used ladders to climb over rows of buses placed by the presidential security service near the compound’s entrance, and then the investigators began moving up the hilly compound. The investigators and police later arrived in front of a metal gate with a gold presidential mark that’s near Yoon’s residential building. Some officers were seen entering a security door on the side of the metal gate, joined by one of Yoon’s lawyers and his chief of staff. The presidential security service later removed a bus and other vehicles that had been parked tightly inside the gate as a barricade.

Despite a court warrant for Mr. Yoon’s detention, the presidential security service had insisted it’s obligated to protect the impeached president and fortified the compound with barbed wire and rows of buses blocking paths.

The preparations and the concerns

South Korea’s acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, issued a statement early Wednesday urging law enforcement and the presidential security service to ensure there are no “physical clashes.”

Following Mr. Yoon’s detainment, Choi met with diplomats from the Group of Seven nations, including the United States, Japan, Britain and Germany, as well as the representative of the European Union, to reassure them that the government was functioning stably.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which drove the legislative campaign that led to Yoon’s impeachment on Dec. 14, said Yoon’s detention is the “first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy, and realizing the rule of law.”

As investigators moved up the hillside compound, lawmakers from Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party held a rally in nearby streets, decrying the efforts to detain him as unlawful.

The National Police Agency met with field commanders in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province in recent days to plan their detainment efforts, and the size of those forces fueled speculation that more than a thousand officers could be deployed. The agency and police had openly warned that presidential bodyguards obstructing the execution of the warrant could be arrested.

Mr. Yoon’s lawyers have claimed that the detainment warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid. They cited a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge — which would be Mr. Yoon. They also claimed that the anti-corruption agency had no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations.

“I am truly appalled to see illegalities upon illegalities upon illegalities being carried out and procedures being forcefully conducted under an invalid warrant,” Yoon said in the video released before his detention. “I do not acknowledge the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials. As the president, who is responsible for upholding the constitution and legal system of the Republic of Korea, my decision to comply with such illegal and invalid procedures is not an acknowledgment of them, but rather a willingness to prevent unfortunate and bloody incidents.”

Mr. Yoon’s supporters and critics have held competing protests near the residence — one side vowing to protect him, the other calling for his imprisonment — while thousands of police officers in yellow jackets closely monitored the tense situation.

What led to this

Mr. Yoon declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly on Dec. 3. It lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and vote to lift the measure. The opposition-led assembly voted to impeach him on rebellion charges Dec. 14.

The Constitutional Court held its first formal hearing in the impeachment case on Tuesday, but the session lasted less than five minutes because Yoon refused to attend. The next hearing is set for Thursday, and the court will then proceed with the trial whether or not Yoon is there.

The White House National Security Council issued a statement saying that the United States stands by its support for the Korean people and “our shared commitment to the rule of law.” It said Washington remains committed to working with the government led by Seoul’s acting leader, Choi, and reaffirms the strength of the countries’ alliance.

Hundreds of South Koreans, bundled up against freezing temperatures and snow, rallied overnight into Sunday (January 5, 2025) near the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, calling for his ouster and arrest, as authorities prepared to renew their efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree.

Dozens of anti-corruption agency investigators and police attempted to execute a detainment warrant against Mr. Yoon on Friday but retreated from his residence in Seoul after a tense standoff with the presidential security service that lasted more than five hours.

The one-week warrant for his detention is valid through Monday. There were no immediate indications that anti-corruption authorities were ready to send investigators back to the residence as of Sunday afternoon. Staff from the presidential security service were seen installing barbed wire near the gate and along the hills leading up to Mr. Yoon’s residence over the weekend, possibly in preparation for another detention attempt.

A Seoul court last Tuesday issued a warrant to detain Mr. Yoon and a separate warrant to search his residence after the embattled President repeatedly defied authorities by refusing to appear for questioning and obstructing searches of his office. But enforcing them is complicated as long as Mr. Yoon remains in his official residence.

Investigators from the country’s anti-corruption agency are weighing charges of rebellion after the conservative President, apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by a legislature dominated by the liberal opposition, declared martial law on Dec. 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly.

The Assembly overturned the declaration within hours in a unanimous vote and impeached Mr. Yoon on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion, while South Korean anti-corruption authorities and public prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events.

If the anti-corruption agency manages to detain Mr. Yoon, it will likely ask a court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, Mr. Yoon will be released after 48 hours.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military investigators, says detaining Mr. Yoon would be “virtually impossible” as long as he is protected by the presidential security service. The agency has urged the country’s acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, to instruct the service to comply with their execution of the detainment warrant, but Mr. Choi has yet to publicly comment on the issue.

The chiefs and deputy chiefs of the presidential security service defied summonses on Saturday from police, who planned to question them over the suspected obstruction of official duty following Friday’s events.

Mr. Yoon’s legal team said it will file complaints against the anti-corruption agency’s chief prosecutor, Oh Dong-woon, and approximately 150 investigators and police officers involved in Friday’s detention attempt, which they claim was unlawful. The team said it will also file complaints with public prosecutors against the country’s acting Defence Minister and police chief for ignoring the presidential security service’s request to provide additional forces to block the detention attempt.

Mr. Yoon’s lawyers had submitted an objection to the warrants against the president on Thursday, but the Seoul Western District Court dismissed the challenge on Sunday.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called for the anti-corruption agency to move quickly to detain Mr. Yoon, saying it was deeply disappointing to see the agency “hesitating and letting time slip away.”

Hundreds of anti-Yoon protesters rallied for hours near the gates of the presidential residence from Saturday evening to Sunday, voicing frustration over the failed detention attempt and demanding stronger efforts to bring Mr. Yoon into custody. Separated by police barricades and buses, pro-Yoon protesters were gathering in nearby streets, denouncing his impeachment and vowing to block any efforts to detain him.

“With barely a day left before the execution deadline for Yoon Seok Yeol’s detainment warrant, the presidential security service continues to hide a criminal and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials cannot be more relaxed,” Kim Eun-jeong, an activist, said on a stage during the anti-Yoon rally.

“Angry citizens have already spent two freezing nights demanding his immediate detainment. Are their voices not being heard?”

Mr. Yoon’s lawyers have challenged the detention and search warrants against the President, saying they cannot be enforced at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge — which would be Mr. Yoon. They also argue the anti-corruption office lacks the legal authority to investigate rebellion charges and that police officers don’t have the legal authority to assist in detaining Mr. Yoon.

While the presidential security act mandates protection for Mr. Yoon, it does not authorize the presidential security service to block court-ordered detainments. The service’s attempts to block the execution of the warrant may amount to an obstruction of official duty, according to Park Sung-bae, an attorney specializing in criminal law. While the President mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, the protection does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.

The agency said its outnumbered investigators had several scuffles with presidential security forces that threatened their safety and expressed “serious regret” that Mr. Yoon was not complying with the legal process.

After getting around a military unit guarding the residence’s grounds, the agency’s investigators and police were able to approach within 200 metres (yards) of Mr. Yoon’s residential building but were stopped by a barricade comprising around 10 vehicles and approximately 200 members of the presidential security forces and troops. The agency said it wasn’t able to visually confirm whether Mr. Yoon was inside the residence.

The Defence Ministry says the troops at Mr. Yoon’s official residence are under the control of the presidential security service. Kim Seon-ho, the acting Defence Minister, conveyed his concern to the presidential security service, saying that deploying military personnel to block the execution of the detention warrant would be “inappropriate” and requesting that the troops aren’t placed in a position where they might confront police, according to the ministry.

Mr. Yoon’s Defence Minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the period of martial law.

Mr. Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended since the National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14. Mr. Yoon’s fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Mr. Yoon from office or reinstate him.

People take part in a protest against the impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol near his official residence, in Seoul, South Korea, January 4, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

South Korean investigators again asked the country’s acting president on Saturday (January 4, 2025) to order the presidential security service to comply with an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

In scenes of high drama on Friday (January 3, 2025), Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidential guards and military troops shielded the former star prosecutor from investigators, who called off their arrest attempt citing safety concerns.

The South Korean president was impeached and suspended last month after the bungled martial law declaration – a political move swiftly overturned by parliament – with a separate warrant later issued for his arrest.

“There was a standoff. While we estimated the personnel blocking us to be around 200, there could have been more,” an official from the investigation team said Friday (January 3, 2025) on condition of anonymity.

“It was a dangerous situation”

Mr. Yoon faces criminal charges of insurrection, one of a few crimes not subject to presidential immunity, meaning he could be sentenced to prison or, at worst, the death penalty.

If carried out, the warrant would make Mr. Yoon the first sitting president ever arrested.

Since his impeachment, Mr. Yoon has holed up in his presidential residence in the capital Seoul, where he has refused to emerge for questioning three times.

The unprecedented showdown – which reportedly included clashes but no shots fired – left the arrest attempt by investigators in limbo with the court-ordered warrant set to expire on Monday (January 6, 2025).

Officials from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is probing Mr. Yoon over his martial law decree, said there could be another bid to arrest him before then.

But if the warrant lapses, they would have to apply for another from the same Seoul court that issued the initial summons.

The Constitutional Court slated January 14 for the start of Mr. Yoon’s impeachment trial, which if he does not attend would continue in his absence.

Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye never appeared for their impeachment trials.

Mr. Yoon’s lawyers decried Friday (January 3, 2025)‘s arrest attempt as “unlawful and invalid” and vowed to take legal action.

Experts said investigators could wait for greater legal justification before attempting to arrest the suspended president again.

“It may be challenging to carry out the arrest until the Constitutional Court rules on the impeachment motion and strips him of the presidential title,” Chae Jin-won of Humanitas College at Kyung Hee University told AFP.

‘Stable path’

South Korean media reported that CIO officials had wanted to arrest Mr. Yoon and take him to their office in Gwacheon near Seoul for questioning.

After that, he could have been held for up to 48 hours on the existing warrant. Investigators would have needed to apply for another arrest warrant to keep him in custody.

Mr. Yoon has remained defiant despite the political impasse he initiated with his December 3 decree.

He told his right-wing supporters this week he would fight “to the very end” for his political survival.

By the time investigators attempted to execute the warrant for Mr. Yoon’s arrest, he had layered his presidential compound with hundreds of security forces to prevent it.

Around 20 investigators and 80 police officers were heavily outnumbered by around 200 soldiers and security personnel linking arms to block their way after entering the presidential compound.

A tense six-hour standoff ensued until early Friday (January 3, 2025) afternoon when the investigators were forced to U-turn for fear of violence breaking out.

The weeks of political turmoil have threatened the country’s stability.

South Korea’s key security ally, the United States, called for the political elite to work towards a “stable path” forward.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to maintaining bilateral ties and readiness to respond to “any external provocations or threats”.

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to hold talks in Seoul on Monday (January 6, 2025), with one eye on the political crisis and another on nuclear-armed neighbour North Korea.

Seoul:

Authorities sought on Friday to execute an arrest warrant for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, as a crowd of protesters faced off with police outside his residence and vowed to block any attempt.

Yoon is under criminal investigation for insurrection over his short-lived martial law attempt on Dec. 3. An arrest would be unprecedented for an incumbent South Korean president.

Officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is leading a joint team of investigators that include the police and prosecutors, had arrived gates of Yoon’s compound shortly after 7 a.m. (2200 GMT Thursday), according to Reuters witnesses.

Yonhap News Agency reported that about 3,000 police had been mobilised in preparation.

It was unclear whether the Presidential Security Service, which has blocked access by investigators with a search warrant to Yoon’s office and official residence, would try to stop the arrest.

Media reports said the CIO vehicles did not immediately enter the compound.

Protesters gathered in the pre-dawn hours near his residence, with the numbers swelling into the hundreds amid media reports that investigating authorities would soon try to execute the arrest warrant that was approved on Tuesday after Yoon refused summons to appear.

“We have to block them with our lives,” one was heard saying to others. About a dozen protesters tried to block a group of police officers at the entrance to a pedestrian overpass.

Some chanted “President Yoon Suk Yeol will be protected by the people,” and called for the head of the CIO to be arrested.

Pyeong In-su, 74, said that the police had to be stopped by “patriotic citizens”, a term Yoon used to describe those standing guard near his residence.

Holding a flag of the United States and South Korea with the words “Let’s go together” in English and Korean, Pyeong said he hoped incoming U.S. President Donald Trump would come to Yoon’s aid.

“I hope after Trump’s inauguration he can use his influence to help our country get back on the right track,” he said.

Yoon sent shockwaves through the country with a late-night announcement on Dec. 3 that he was imposing martial law to overcome political deadlock and root out “anti-state forces”.

Within hours, however, 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of troops and police to vote against Yoon’s order. About six hours after his initial decree, Yoon rescinded it.

He later issued a defiant defence of his decision, saying domestic political opponents are sympathetic to North Korea and citing uncorroborated claims of election tampering.

Insurrection is one of the few criminal charges from which a South Korean president does not have immunity.

Yoon’s lawyers have said the arrest warrant was illegal and invalid because the CIO did not have the authority under South Korean law to request a warrant.

Yoon has been isolated since he was impeached and suspended from power on Dec. 14.

Separate from the criminal investigation, his impeachment case is currently before the Constitutional Court to decide whether to reinstate or permanently remove him. A second hearing in that case is scheduled for later on Friday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Protesters march during a rally against South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law, which was reversed hours later, in Seoul, South Korea, December 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

South Korea’s suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol authorised the military to fire their weapons if needed to enter parliament during his failed bid to impose martial law, according to a prosecutors’ report seen by AFP on Saturday (December 28, 2024).

The 10-page summary from former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun’s prosecution indictment report, which was provided to the media, also says Mr. Yoon vowed on December 3 to declare martial law three times if necessary.

Mr. Yoon, who was stripped of his duties by the National Assembly this month, is under investigation for his short-lived attempt to scrap civilian rule, which plunged the country into political turmoil and led to his impeachment.

Mr. Yoon’s lawyer Yoon Kab-keun dismissed the prosecutors’ report, telling AFP it was “a one-sided account that neither corresponds to objective circumstances nor common sense”.

As lawmakers rushed to parliament on December 3 to vote down Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration, heavily armed troops stormed the building, scaling fences, smashing windows and landing by helicopter.

According to the prosecution indictment report, Mr. Yoon told the chief of the capital defence command, Lee Jin-woo, that military forces could shoot if necessary to enter the National Assembly.

“Have you still not got in? What are you doing? Break down the door and drag them out, even if it means shooting,” Mr. Yoon told Mr. Lee, according to the report.

Mr. Yoon also allegedly told the head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, General Kwak Jong-keun, to “quickly get inside” the National Assembly since the quorum for the martial law declaration to be lifted had not been met.

“So quickly get inside the National Assembly and bring out the people inside the chamber, and break down the doors with an axe if necessary and drag everyone out,” the report quotes Mr. Yoon as saying at the time.

After lawmakers rushed inside parliament and voted 190-0 to nullify Mr. Yoon’s declaration in the early hours of December 4, the report says Mr. Yoon told Mr. Lee, “Even if it’s lifted, I can declare martial law a second or third time, so just keep going.”

‘Ugly truth’

The report also included screenshots of senior defence officials’ messages from the day of the martial law declaration.

It said there was evidence that Mr. Yoon had been discussing declaring martial law with senior military officials as early as March.

The declaration followed a budget tussle between Mr. Yoon’s party and the opposition.

Days later, Mr. Yoon in a speech apologised for the “anxiety and inconvenience” and promised there would not be a second declaration of martial law.

Ex-Defence Minister Kim was arrested over his role in the failed martial law bid.

Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo said in a statement on Saturday that “the prosecution has laid bare the undeniable ugly truth about Yoon Suk Yeol, the treasonous ringleader”, adding that he must be “arrested immediately”.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court held its first preliminary hearing on the validity of Mr. Yoon’s impeachment on Friday.

The court will also decide the fate of Mr. Yoon’s replacement, Han Duck-soo, who was impeached Friday over his refusal to complete Mr. Yoon’s impeachment process and bring him to justice.

Tens of thousands of Mr. Yoon supporters and opponents held rival mass rallies in central Seoul on Saturday.

“The martial law was legal, and president Yoon did it because of the insurrectionary opposition Democratic Party,” said 31-year-old Danny Ko, holding the slogan “Legal martial law, Invalid impeachment!”

“The Democratic Party will impeach [acting president] Choi Sang-mok like Han, and the country will go mad.”

An anti-Yoon crowd was gathered nearby holding signs such as: “A new leader for the new year” and “Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol”, with many singing along to K-pop songs and John Lennon’s “Imagine”.

“I felt so relieved when Han was impeached, he was also part of the insurrection” Kwak Min-jeong, 25, told AFP.

Holding a glow stick, Kwak said she would keep protesting until “democracy was achieved”.

“We are holding it to show our commitment, and unlike a candle, it will never go off,” she said.

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, front left, and its floor leader Park Chan-dae, front right. File
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s main Opposition party said it will introduce a bill to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday (December 26, 2024) and hold a vote on Friday (December 27, 2024), a move that could deepen the country’s constitutional crisis triggered by a short-lived martial law.

The Opposition Democratic Party had threatened to impeach Mr. Han if he does not immediately appoint three justices to fill the vacancies at the Constitutional Court. Parliament voted in favour of three nominees on Thursday (December 26, 2024), but they have yet to be formally appointed by Mr. Han.

The court is trying the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his December 3 declaration of martial law.

“It has become clear that Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo does not have the qualification or the will to safeguard the Constitution,” Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said in a statement.

If Mr. Han is impeached, the Finance Minister will assume the acting presidency. The Democratic Party has majority control of Parliament, but there is disagreement between the parties and some constitutional scholars over whether a simple majority or a two-thirds vote is needed to impeach the acting President.

Han said earlier on Thursday (December 26, 2024) that he will not appoint the justices until political parties reach agreement on the appointments, because for him to do so without political consensus will harm constitutional order.

Two of the proposed appointees for the Constitutional Court up for the vote on Thursday (December 26, 2024) were nominated by the Democratic Party and one by Mr. Han’s ruling People Power Party. The ruling party objected to the breakdown, saying it had not agreed to it.

Han has been under pressure to make the appointments, but political parties have disagreed on whether he has the authority to do so as acting President.

The court is set to hold its first hearing on Friday (December 27, 2024) in the trial to decide whether to remove Mr. Yoon or reinstate him.

Under the constitution, six justices must agree to remove an impeached President, meaning the current justices must vote unanimously to remove Mr. Yoon. The court has said it can deliberate without the full bench.

Mr. Yoon, who was impeached by Parliament on December 14 in a vote joined by some members of his centre-right party, has not submitted legal papers as requested by the court as of Thursday (December 26, 2024), court spokesperson Lee Jean told a media briefing.

On Wednesday (December 25, 2024), he did not respond to the latest summons for questioning in a separate criminal investigation.

Mr. Yoon’s repeated defiance has sparked criticism and calls from the Opposition for his arrest.

A South Korean police officer stands in front of the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday (December 17, 2024).
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s acting leader vowed Tuesday (December 17, 2024) to convey to the world that things are back to normal following parliament’s impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, but rival parties began squabbling over the mechanics of a court ruling to determine whether to formally unseat or reinstate him.

The country’s liberal opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach Mr. Yoon last Saturday (December 14, 2024) over his short-lived December 3 martial law imposition, suspending his presidential powers until the Constitutional Court determines whether to uphold or overturn the decision. If Mr. Yoon is dismissed, a national election must be held to pick his successor within two months.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting leader, has taken steps to reassure the US and other countries and stabilise markets. Presiding over a Cabinet Council meeting on Tuesday (December 17, 2024), Mr. Han said he will “continuously do my utmost to inform the international society that the Republic of Korea is fast regaining stability and maintain confidence with partners.”

But the country’s intense political strife appears to be far from over, as the rival parties began bickering over whether to fill three vacant justices’ seats at the Constitutional Court.

To formally end Mr. Yoon’s presidency, the nine-member court panel needs support from at least six justices. But since three seats remain vacant following retirements, a unanimous decision in favour of Mr. Yoon’s impeachment is required to throw him out of office for good.

Three of the court’s nine justices are directly appointed by the president. Three others are nominated by the Supreme Court head and another three by the National Assembly, and their formal appointments by the president has widely been a formality. The three seats that are currently open are to be nominated by the National Assembly – two by the Democratic Party and the other by Mr. Yoon’s ruling People Power Party.

The court can rule on Mr. Yoon’s case only with the current six justices. But the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led the impeachment efforts against Mr. Yoon, has said it would speed up the process of restoring the court’s nine-justice system to promote fairness and public confidence in its ruling.

But PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, a Mr. Yoon loyalist, created a stir Tuesday (December 17, 2024) as he voiced his objection to a Democratic Party push to fill the three vacancies. He said it would be inappropriate for Mr. Han, the acting leader, to appoint justices nominated by parliament, saying such authorities solely rest with the president.

“An acting president can appoint Constitutional Court justices when there is a presidential vacancy, but not when the president’s duties are just suspended,” Kweon said.

Many observers say the court’s current six-member configuration is advantageous for Mr. Yoon’s chances to return to office, as it would only require a single justice rejecting the parliament impeachment. They note Cheong Hyungsik, one of the six justices, is a clear conservative who was directly appointed by Mr. Yoon.

The Democratic Party quickly dismissed Kweon’s argument as “absurd and utterly nonsensical” and urged PPP to abide by a November agreement between the rival parties to nominate the three Constitutional Court justices.

Party lawmaker and spokesperson Jo Seoung-lae said PPP has “blatantly revealed their true intention to obstruct the constitutional trial.”

There was no immediate response from Mr. Han, who during the Cabinet meeting stressed that the government would cooperate with the ruling and opposition parties to stabilize the economy.

There is no clear definition about what an acting president can and cannot do over the appointments of court justices. The Democratic party accuses PPP of trying to drag out the impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to determine Mr. Yoon’s fate.

Time is a crucial issue for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-Myung, who is favoured by polls to win a presidential by-election in the event of Mr. Yoon’s ouster but grapples with his own legal troubles. Lee could possibly be prohibited from running for president if the appellate and Supreme courts uphold his lower court conviction for election law violation in November.

Mr. Yoon faces allegations of rebellion and abuse of power over his martial law introduction. Investigative authorities want him to appear for questioning later this week, but officials at Mr. Yoon’s office and residence on Monday (December 16, 2024) refused to receive requests for his appearance.

The martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, drew hundreds of troops who tried to encircle parliament and prevent lawmakers from voting on the decree. Many lawmakers still managed to get inside a National Assembly chamber and voted to overturn Mr. Yoon’s decree unanimously, forcing Mr. Yoon’s Cabinet to lift it.

Mr. Yoon’s decree, which harkened back to an era of past military-backed dictatorships, has sparked massive street protests calling for his ouster and resulted in his approval rating plummeting. Mr. Yoon’s defence minister, police chief and several other senior military commanders have been arrested over their roles in the martial law enforcement.

Supporters of Mr. Yoon worry that his early exit would severely hamper the country’s conservatives and cause them to likely lose a presidential by-election to the liberals as they did in 2017 when then-impeached conservative President Park Geun-hye was ousted and arrested over a corruption scandal.