Arrest warrant issued for ousted South Korean leader amid escalating political turmoil

A South Korean court has granted arrest warrants to detain the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The warrants also include the authorization to search his office and residence. This action comes amidst a criminal investigation into the martial law decree that Yoon passed earlier this month.

This marks a significant moment in South Korean history, as it is the first time a sitting president of the country is facing the prospect of arrest. The decision follows a period of intense political unrest in South Korea, a crucial U.S. ally and Asia’s fourth-largest economy. The country is further grappling with the tragic Jeju Air plane crash that claimed the lives of 179 individuals on Sunday.

The Seoul Western District Court has issued warrants for the detention of Yoon Suk Yeol and the search of his presidential office and residence in central Seoul. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, in collaboration with police and military authorities, is spearheading the joint investigation into the allegations.

A South Korean court approved arrest warrants on Tuesday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Lawmakers then submitted a motion to impeach the president over his martial law declaration, with the leader of the People Power Party, Han Dong-hun, criticizing the martial law declaration as “unconstitutional.”

After declaring martial law, Yoon sent hundreds of troops and police officers to the parliament to try to impede its vote on the decree before they withdrew after the parliament rejected it. No major violence occurred but public protests swelled in both opposition and in support of Yoon.

The National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14, during which hundreds of troops and police officers were deployed at the assembly.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who took over from Yoon as acting president, has also been impeached by parliament after he failed to fill three justice seats at the nine-member constitutional court. Yoon can only be removed from office if his impeachment is upheld by the court.

Experts say that adding more justices could increase the chances of Yoon’s impeachment as that requires support from at least six justices. The next hearing in Yoon’s Constitutional Court case is scheduled for Friday.

South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok places a flower for the victims on a plane which skidded off a runway and burst into flames, at a memorial altar at Muan sport park in Muan, South Korea, on Dec. 30, 2024.  (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned as Yoon’s defense minister after playing a major role in the martial law decree, has been detained and was indicted on Friday on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.

New acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday presided over a task force meeting investigating the Jeju Air disaster. The Boeing 737-800 plane landed without its front landing gear deployed, overshot the runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into a fireball. 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.