Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who had been impeached, was released from custody on Saturday following a court decision to revoke his arrest warrant, allowing him to face trial for rebellion without being held in custody.
Earlier in January, Yoon had been taken into custody and charged by prosecutors for his declaration of martial law on December 3, which led to significant political unrest in the nation. The decision was quickly overturned by the National Assembly, which also voted to impeach him, leading to his removal from office.
Upon his release, Yoon was greeted by a crowd of supporters chanting his name and waving flags of South Korea and the United States. He expressed gratitude by waving and bowing to the crowd before departing in a black van to return to his residence in Seoul.
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol greets his supporters after he came out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP)
Yoon’s lawyers have argued that the investigative agency that detained him prior to his formal arrest lacked legal authority to probe rebellion charges.
The court in Seoul also said the legal period of his formal arrest expired ahead of his indictment.
Yoon’s release from prison came after prosecutors opted against appealing the ruling by the Seoul Central District Court. South Korean law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect in custody as they pursue an appeal, even after the arrest is canceled by a court.
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP)
The main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led Yoon’s impeachment in December, criticized the prosecutors for their decision not to appeal, labeling them as “henchmen” of Yoon, who is a former prosecutor general.
Democratic Party spokesperson Cho Seung-rae called on the Constitutional Court to dismiss Yoon as soon as possible to avoid further public unrest.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
