South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared at a warrant hearing on Saturday to determine if he will remain detained for up to 20 days. The hearing was held at the Seoul Western District Court, located about 20 km from the Seoul Detention Center where Yoon has been held since his arrest.
President Yoon was arrested on Wednesday at the presidential residence, becoming the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to be detained. His arrest followed allegations of insurrection linked to his declaration of martial law on December 3, which was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
The impeachment motion against Yoon, passed by the National Assembly on December 14, suspended his presidential powers and is now under review by the Constitutional Court, which has 180 days to make a ruling.
If the court grants the detention warrant, Yoon will face questioning by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) for 10 days, followed by another 10 days of interrogation by prosecutors. This comes as both agencies conduct a joint investigation into his alleged role as the ringleader of the martial law declaration.
The case has gripped the nation as Yoon refused to cooperate with the CIO during earlier questioning. The outcome of the detention hearing and the ongoing investigation will significantly impact South Korea’s political landscape.