Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Refuses To Comply With Arrest Warrant

On December 31, KST, a South Korean court issued an arrest warrant against the impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol, for his attempt to impose martial law on December 3, KST.

The warrant came after Yoon ignored three summonses to appear for questioning over the past two weeks. The warrant is part of the ongoing investigation against him for power abuse and attempted insurrection. He is the first sitting South Korean President to face an arrest warrant.

After the warrant was issued, President Yoon’s legal representatives argued that it was illegal and invalid. They argued that the warrant was requested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which lacked investigative authority, rendering it an unlawful request. They also mentioned that the warrant was issued by the Western District Court instead of the Seoul Central District Court, which would have the jurisdiction over the case.

Attorney Yoon Gap Geun, representing President Yoon, told the media that he would not comply with the warrant issued by the court. He added that under the current judicial system, investigations are conducted by the police while prosecutors request warrants. In President Yoon’s case, however, a joint investigative unit was formed with the police investigating and the CIO prosecutors requesting the warrants, which attorney Yoon called unlawful.

When the press asked which investigative agency, according to his argument, had the authority to investigate the President, attorney Yoon gave a vague answer, stating that “the law provides the answer.” He also emphasized his stance on the insurrection charges, saying that those couldn’t fundamentally be established.

Despite his reluctance to comply with the arrest warrant, President Yoon is apparently willing to attend the hearings at the Constitutional Court to present his position. He is also preparing to file a jurisdictional dispute and an injunction to suspend the arrest warrant with the Constitutional Court.

You can read more about President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment here.