South Korea seeks arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol

In a dramatic escalation of South Korea’s ongoing political crisis, anti-corruption investigators have sought a renewed arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose controversial attempt to impose martial law last month plunged the nation into turmoil.

The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) confirmed late Monday that it had refiled a request with the Seoul Western District Court to extend the expired warrant for Yoon’s detention.

The former president, who is under investigation for alleged insurrection, continues to resist arrest from his heavily guarded residence.

“The Joint Investigation Headquarters today refiled a warrant to extend the arrest warrant for defendant Yoon,” the CIO said in a statement.

However, they declined to provide specifics about the warrant’s validity period after the initial seven-day period expired.

If approved, Yoon would become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested.

Yoon, a former star prosecutor, has refused questioning on three occasions.

His lawyers have consistently dismissed the initial warrant as “unlawful,” arguing that the CIO lacks the authority to investigate charges of insurrection, which is not explicitly listed among its jurisdictional powers.

Despite the legal challenges, experts say the likelihood of the new warrant being approved is high.

Yun Bok-Nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, commented, “The court is unlikely to reject the extension, though it may take some time for the warrant to be reissued.”

If convicted, Yoon could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

The Constitutional Court has scheduled January 14 as the opening day of Yoon’s impeachment trial. While local reports suggest Yoon might attend, his legal team has stated that his appearance remains undecided.

The court has up to 180 days to determine whether to uphold his impeachment or restore his presidential powers.

Tensions around Yoon’s residence have eased temporarily after last week’s six-hour standoff, during which investigators were blocked by a significant security presence.

While protesters continue to support the impeached leader, the streets outside his home were notably quieter on Tuesday as the nation awaits the court’s decision.

Yoon’s impeachment trial marks South Korea’s third such case in modern history, following the trials of former presidents Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016-2017.

The CIO, a relatively new investigative body, faces unprecedented pressure to handle the case amid criticism over its limited resources and inexperience.

As South Korea braces for further political upheaval, the outcome of the arrest warrant and the impeachment trial will likely define the nation’s path in the coming months.