As the political crisis deepens, an arrest warrant has been issued for the impeached South Korean president
A South Korea A court on Tuesday approved arrest warrants to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and search his office and residence as part of a criminal case related to his martial law.
The move is the first time the country’s sitting president has faced jail and comes after weeks of intense fighting. political turmoil In South Korea, Asia’s fourth largest economy and a key US ally. The country is also dealing with the Jeju Air plane crash that killed 179 people on Sunday.
The Seoul Western District Court issued warrants for Yoon’s arrest and to search the presidential office and residence in central Seoul, according to a statement from the High-Level Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau, which is leading the investigation along with police and military authorities.
A South Korean court on Tuesday approved arrest warrants for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. (AP Photo/Lee ​​Jin-man)
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The agency said it was investigating whether Yoon’s Dec. 3 statement was treasonous, and that he had been suspended.
Under South Korean law, the leader of the rebellion could face the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted.
With the president’s attorney labeling the warrants “invalid” and “illegal,” it’s unclear when authorities will pursue the warrants. His whereabouts are unknown to the public and he has been banned from leaving the country.
Yoon enjoys presidential immunity from most criminal prosecutions, but that immunity does not apply to sedition or treason charges.
By law, in South Korea, the president is only allowed to declare martial law during times of war or similar emergencies, and even under martial law, he does not have the right to suspend parliament.
Yoon suddenly imposed martial law and vowed to eliminate “anti-state” forces after struggling to push his agenda through the opposition-dominated parliament. Martial law was in effect for only six hours National Assembly voted to cancel the president’s decision.
The country is also dealing with the Jeju Air plane crash that killed 179 people on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Then the MPs presented With People’s Power Party leader Han Dong-hun criticizing the declaration of martial law as “unconstitutional”, the impeachment motion of the president over the martial law declaration.
After declaring martial law, Yoon sent hundreds of soldiers and police into parliament to block the vote before backing down after parliament rejected the decree. No major violence occurred, but public protests grew, both in opposition and in support of Yoon.
On December 14, the National Assembly voted to impeach him.
Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo from Yoon was also impeached by parliament for failing to fill three justice seats in the nine deputies. constitutional court. Yoon can only be removed from office if his impeachment is upheld by a court.
Experts say adding more justices could increase Yoon’s chances of impeachment, as it would require the support of at least six justices. Yoon’s next hearing at the Constitutional Court is scheduled for Friday.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok lays flowers for the victims at the memorial altar at the Muan Sports Park in Muan, South Korea, on Dec. 30, 2024, after the plane caught fire after it took off from the runway. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
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Kim Yong-hyun, Yoon, who resigned as defense minister after playing a major role in martial law, was arrested and indicted on Friday on charges of rebellion and abuse of power.
Choi Sang-mok, the new acting president, presided over a meeting of the task force investigating the Jeju Air crash on Monday. The Boeing 737-800 landed without the front landing gear deployed, skidded off the runway and crashed. concrete fence and turned into a ball of fire.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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