South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on charges of organizing and leading an insurrection, marking the first time in the nation’s history that a sitting president has faced such charges. The arrest followed his impeachment by parliament and occurred during a period when he was suspended from office, pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) confirmed the arrest, which was executed at 10:33 a.m. local time on Wednesday (1:33 a.m. GMT). Yonhap News Agency reported that the operation to detain Yoon lasted over seven hours, culminating in a second attempt early Wednesday morning. The arrest comes in the wake of a politically tumultuous period, highlighted by Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3, which was lifted six hours later.
Following his impeachment on December 14, Yoon’s legal standing became precarious. On December 31, the court issued an arrest warrant linked to insurrection charges stemming from the martial law incident, and a renewed warrant was issued on January 7. A previous attempt to arrest him on January 3 failed when his security team blocked the operation.
Yoon has refused to testify during his interrogation, which began at 11:00 a.m. local time (2:00 a.m. GMT) and is based on a voluminous dossier exceeding 200 pages. His legal team has challenged the validity of the investigation, arguing that the CIO lacks jurisdiction over insurrection cases and that the warrant was issued by the wrong court.
Despite his arrest, Yoon expressed confidence in the nation’s future, stating that he believed “the youth have recognized the true value of liberal democracy.” His arrest places South Korea at a political crossroads as the Constitutional Court deliberates on whether to reinstate him or permanently remove him from office.
The court’s decision and the broader implications of Yoon’s arrest are expected to shape South Korea’s political landscape for years to come, as questions surrounding the rule of law and democratic governance come to the forefront.
