S Korea Seeks New Arrest Warrant for President Yoon Amid Political Turmoil

By Staff, Agencies

South Korean anti-corruption investigators are pursuing a new court-ordered arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose alleged failed attempt to impose martial law has plunged the country into its most significant political crisis in decades.

The initial warrant, issued last week, expired after seven days, leaving Yoon confined to his residence under heavy guard.

On Monday evening, the Corruption Investigation Office [CIO] announced the re-submission of the warrant to the Seoul Western District Court. “Details regarding the validity period cannot be disclosed,” the CIO stated.

While the court had not yet approved the new warrant by Tuesday morning, CIO deputy director Lee Jae-seung expressed confidence, suggesting that the likelihood of rejection was “very low.”

President Yoon faces charges of "insurrection" related to the alleged martial law decree, which, if proven, could lead to severe consequences, including imprisonment or the death penalty.

If arrested, Yoon would make history as the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest. His legal team has repeatedly denounced the arrest warrant as “unlawful” and pledged to challenge it.

Yoon’s impeachment trial is set to begin on January 14 at South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which will decide within 180 days whether to remove him from office or reinstate his powers.

Like former presidents Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016, Yoon is not expected to attend the trial.

Efforts to detain Yoon have been hampered by significant resistance from his presidential security team. Last week, a six-hour standoff at his residence, where hundreds of guards and loyal lawmakers blocked investigators, forced authorities to back down.

Supporters of Yoon’s People Power Party and his presidency have also gathered outside his residence, braving freezing temperatures to protest his potential arrest.

While tensions outside Yoon’s residence have eased temporarily with the lapse of the initial warrant, the political standoff remains unresolved, and the nation awaits the court’s decision on the new arrest warrant.