Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from his post as president due to the declaration of martial law in South Korea on December 3, 2024, was detained within the scope of the investigation carried out against him.
According to the news of South Korean agency Yonhap, Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) officials took action for the second time this morning to implement the detention decision on Yoon.
Authorities detained Yoon at the presidential residence and took him to the CIO’s office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, for a statement.
Investigators have 48 hours to apply to the court to formally arrest Yoon.
THE FIRST HEAD OF PRESIDENT TO BE DETAINED
Yoon, who was dismissed from office by the South Korean National Assembly on December 14, 2024, on the grounds that the declaration of martial law was unconstitutional, became the first head of state to be detained.
Yoon is accused of trying to prevent MPs from voting against the decision by sending soldiers to the parliament after the declaration of martial law.
Arguing that the martial law decision was an “administrative action” and that it was intended as a warning to the main opposition Democratic Party, which abused its legislative power, Yoon said in the message he published after his detention: “Although this is an illegal investigation, the CIO’s duty is to prevent a disgrace that could lead to bloodshed.” “I decided to confront him.” he said.
The detention was made after hours of negotiations between investigators and Yoon’s team at the presidential residence.
The Western District Court of South Korea issued a detention order for Yoon in the investigation carried out on allegations of “riot” and “abuse of power” on December 31, 2024, but on January 3, the police who went to the official residence to implement the order and the Presidential Security Service (PSS) officers. The order could not be executed after a fight broke out.
PRESIDENCY OFFICIALS DID NOT SHOW RESISTANCE THIS TIME
In their statement this morning, CIO officials stated that this time they will not wait for Yoon to surrender voluntarily, but will directly implement the order. It was reported that, unlike the first attempt, this time no head of state or PSS official resisted the detention.
However, the officials who initially went to the presidential residence were blocked by barricades created by PSS. Approximately 6,500 people supporting Yoon gathered around the residence, while MPs from the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) also gathered in front of the residence to protest the decision.
While approximately 3 thousand police officers were kept around the residence as a precaution, it was stated that some investigators entered the residential campus by climbing the stairs, while others reached the residence by passing through the pathways surrounding the campus.
It was noted that the military unit guarding the presidential residence during the day approved the entry of police and CIO officials into the residence.
DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW IN SOUTH KOREA
In his speech on television on the night of December 3, 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on the grounds that “the opposition was involved in anti-state activities”, but he took a step back when this decision was lifted in the parliament’s vote and approved by the Council of Ministers.
Yoon, whose dismissal was requested in the vote held by the National Assembly on December 14, 2024, was temporarily suspended from office until the decision of the Constitutional Court, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was appointed as proxy.
At the initiative of the opposition, an impeachment decision was made for Prime Minister Han, who was acting president in the National Assembly vote on December 27, 2024, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Choi Sang-mok took over the presidency in Han’s place.