A South Korean court on Tuesday approved an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol over his attempt to impose martial law on December 3, 2024, reported the Associated Press (AP).
The warrant, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, makes Yoon the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest. The court also issued a warrant to search his presidential office and residence in connection to the rebellion charges. However, experts think that detention or searches are unlikely as long as he formally remains in office.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials has been leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities to determine whether Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3 amounted to a rebellion.
Rebellion is one of the few criminal charges from which a South Korean president does not have immunity. Under South Korean law, if a president is convicted with rebellion, he could face death penalty or life imprisonment.
On December 14, the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon, suspending his powers while the Constitutional Court reviews the case to decide whether to remove him as a president or reinstate him.
Earlier this month, Yoon declared martial law to “safeguard a liberal South Korea from North Korea’s threats and eliminate anti-state elements.” He accused the opposition Democratic Party of paralyzing the government with impeachments of top officials and undermining the government’s budget. However, lawmakers overturned the order within few hours.
The arrest warrant adds to South Korea’s deep political crisis. On Friday, the parliament voted to impeach the acting President Han Duck-soo. Thus, the deputy prime minister and finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, has become South Korea’s new interim president. Choi has been addressing Sunday’s plane crash tragedy, which killed 179 people.
