A south Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, on Tuesday, in connection with his declaration of martial law which plunged the country into crises.
The Seoul Western District Court approved the warrant, following a request from the Joint Investigation Headquarters, a coalition of officials from the police, the Ministry of Defence and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). As per the case details, Yoon is accused of charges including insurrection and abuse of power.
Yoon’s lawyer, Yun Gap-geun, labeled the court order as invalid and illegal. He argued CIO has no right to take into account a sitting president for the allegations of insurrection. Similarly, Kwon Sung-dong, floor leader of Yoon’s People’s Power Party, criticized the court’s decision as “unjust” and accused opposition lawmakers of pursuing a politically motivated vendetta.
As the court issued the arrest warrant for Yoon, tensions among opposition leaders has sparked. By this move of constitution court, the country is further escalated towards political turmoil.
Notably, Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on December 14 in a decisive 204-85 vote after declaring martial law on December 3. He declared this in a historic first, citing threats from “anti-state forces” and alleged obstruction by opposition parties. The move has drawn widespread criticism and ignited protests across the country.
It is worth noting that as per South Korean law, a sitting president is generally immune from prosecution except in cases involving rebellion or treason. If found guilty of insurrection, Yoon could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty according to country’s law.
