South Korea Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Arrested – What Next- wna24
Seoul: Impeached President Yook Suk Yeol was arrested on Wednesday by South Korean authorities over actuation related to the imposition of martial law on December 3. The country has been embroiled in political unrest for several weeks, with mounting calls for the president’s arrest.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), an independent government agency, confirmed that Yoon was detained just hours after hundreds of its investigators, supported by police officers, arrived at his presidential residence to take him into custody. A convoy of black SUVs, some with sirens, was seen leaving the compound under police escort.
Yoon, who has already been stripped of his presidential powers, now awaits a decision on whether he will be formally removed from office.
Martial law refers to the temporary imposition of military control over civilian authorities during times of crisis when regular civil governance is deemed insufficient. It often involves suspending normal civil rights and enforcing military law. While intended as a temporary measure, martial law can sometimes persist for extended periods.
President Yoon was arrested on Wednesday (January 15) after he repeatedly refused to appear for questioning in a probe into his failed attempt to impose martial law. The insurrection investigation, which has sparked widespread public outrage, is one of the few circumstances under which a sitting president can face charges under South Korea’s constitution. Yoon is the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to be taken into custody.
Yoon can be detained for up to 48 hours for questioning at the CIO’s headquarters. Authorities will then decide whether to seek a formal arrest warrant, which would allow them to hold him for up to 20 days or release him. If convicted of insurrection, Yoon could face life imprisonment, with the rare possibility of the death penalty.
Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo, a former ambassador to the US, briefly served as acting president following Yoon’s impeachment. However, Han was also impeached on December 27 after resisting pressure to appoint additional judges to the Constitutional Court, which was required to convene for the impeachment process.