South Korean investigators have requested an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, marking the first time an incumbent president has faced such action. The warrant stems from allegations that Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law earlier this month, on December 3, constituted insurrection, an official confirmed Monday.
Yoon has ignored summonses for questioning by police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which are jointly investigating the case. Authorities have also attempted but failed to conduct a raid on the presidential office as part of their inquiry.
The Seoul Western District Court will determine whether to issue the arrest warrant. Insurrection is among the few charges for which South Korea’s presidents do not have immunity.
President Yoon was suspended from his duties following his impeachment by parliament over the martial law decree, which briefly sent armed and masked troops into parliament. The soldiers, equipped with rifles, body armor, and night-vision equipment, faced resistance from staffers who used fire extinguishers to oppose them.
The martial law order was revoked within hours after the parliament rejected the decree and Yoon backed down. The incident, unprecedented since South Korea’s transition to democracy in the 1980s, shocked the nation and caused alarm among allies such as the United States and key trading partners of Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
A Constitutional Court trial has commenced to decide whether Yoon will be reinstated or permanently removed from office. The court has 180 days to make its ruling. During its first preparatory hearing on Friday, the court denied a request by Yoon’s legal team to delay proceedings, emphasizing the need to proceed swiftly.
