South Korea: Court issues arrest warrant for embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol

A South Korean court on Tuesday approved an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, marking the first time a sitting president in the country has faced such legal action. 

Yoon, whose controversial declaration of martial law on December 3 plunged the nation into political turmoil, was impeached earlier this month by parliament, which included members of his own party.

The Seoul Western District Court issued the warrant on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion, as confirmed by South Korea’s anti-corruption agency. 

According to the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), the decision followed Yoon’s repeated refusal to comply with investigative summonses. He is wanted for questioning on multiple allegations, including leading an insurrection, a charge that carries the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty.

President Yoon’s legal counsel, Yoon Kab-keun, strongly criticised the warrant, stating, “It’s a warrant request from an agency that’s clearly not authorised by law, and the warrant request process was not transparent.” The warrant must be executed within seven days, though an extension is possible, the CIO noted.

Yoon’s impeachment is currently under review by South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which began pretrial hearings on December 27. 

While the president was absent from the initial hearing, his attendance is not mandatory. The court, operating with only six justices instead of the usual nine due to unfilled vacancies, faces a significant challenge in deciding whether it has the authority to rule with a reduced bench. For impeachment to be upheld, a unanimous vote from the six justices would be required.

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Amid this political uncertainty, Yoon has avoided public appearances, while top officials in his administration face similar allegations. Acting President Han Duck-soo, who assumed Yoon’s duties after his impeachment, was also impeached by parliament last Friday over his delay in filling the vacant Constitutional Court seats. Han defended his actions, urging bipartisan agreement on the appointments.