SEOUL: A South Korean court has issued a fresh arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, placing him back in custody amid renewed investigations into his failed martial law attempt.
The decision comes after prosecutors argued that Yoon posed a risk of destroying evidence in the ongoing case.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the warrant early Thursday, reversing Yoon’s earlier release in March.
The former leader, already on trial for insurrection, now faces additional charges, including abuse of power and obstruction of official duties.
Special counsel prosecutors had sought the warrant on Sunday, citing Yoon’s repeated refusal to comply with parliamentary summonses.
Senior Judge Nam Se-jin ruled that detention was necessary to prevent potential tampering with evidence.
Yoon, 64, attended a seven-hour hearing on Wednesday, denying all allegations before being transferred to a detention facility near Seoul. He will remain in solitary confinement for up to 20 days as prosecutors finalise formal charges.
The former president’s legal team criticised the arrest as unjust, arguing that Yoon, having been impeached and removed from office, no longer holds any authority.
However, the Constitutional Court had previously condemned his actions as a “betrayal of people’s trust” and a “denial of democracy.”
Prosecutors are also investigating Yoon’s alleged falsification of documents related to his martial law bid, as well as unauthorised drone flights to Pyongyang.
Yoon maintains that his actions were necessary to counter pro-North Korean influences.
Current President Lee Jae Myung, elected in June, has backed sweeping probes into Yoon’s administration, inheriting a nation still reeling from the political crisis. - AFP
