South Korea Crisis Continues: Arrest Request for President Yoon Suk Yeol

south korea - A request for the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol has been made in South Korea amid the investigation following the declaration of martial law on December 3rd.

A request for the arrest of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been made amidst the ongoing investigation into the martial law declaration on December 3rd. According to Yonhap, authorities conducting a joint investigation including the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of National Defense have applied to the Seoul Western District Court for Yoon's arrest.

The investigation, focusing on charges of 'insurrection' and 'abuse of power', revealed that Yoon was called in for questioning three times but did not respond, leading to the request for his arrest.

Yoon's attorneys, Yun Gap-geun, claimed that the CIO lacks jurisdiction to investigate 'insurrection' charges and stated that they will take legal action against the request.

This marks the first time in South Korean history that an incumbent President faces an arrest request.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, in his televised speech on the night of December 3rd, had declared martial law citing 'antistate activities by the opposition'. However, following the parliament's vote to repeal the declaration and subsequent approval in the Cabinet, he reversed his decision.

Yoon accused the opposition of 'hindering the government's function' and argued that martial law aimed to 'eliminate pro-North Korean forces and uphold constitutional freedom'.

Following the martial law declaration, the Ministry of National Defense had instructed military commanders to be on alert. Additionally, reports indicated that soldiers designated as 'martial law units' had entered the National Assembly.

An emergency session in the National Assembly saw a motion to revoke the martial law declaration approved by 190 members. The National Assembly Speaker's Office declared the martial law null and void after the vote.

Convening the Cabinet, Yoon announced the end of martial law after its approval. The main opposition Democratic Party, with five smaller opposition parties, had submitted a motion for Yoon's impeachment to the Assembly on the grounds of the declaration's unconstitutionality. The motion failed to reach a qualified majority in the vote on December 7th.

However, a second motion submitted by the opposition on December 14th was passed with a qualified majority. Pending the Constitutional Court's decision, Yoon was temporarily suspended from office, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was appointed as the interim President. Acting on the opposition's initiative, an impeachment motion against interim President Han was passed in the National Assembly on December 27th. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Choi Sang-mok assumed the interim presidency in place of Han.