South Korea in Crisis as Arrest Warrant Is Issued for Impeached President Yoon

A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol following his attempt to impose martial law on December 3.

Yoon is under investigation for abuse of power and inciting insurrection, and the warrant comes after he failed to comply with three summonses to appear for questioning in the past two weeks.

The arrest warrant marks a significant development in the ongoing political crisis in South Korea, which erupted after Yoon’s short-lived martial law declaration.

The controversy led to Yoon’s impeachment, making him the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to face arrest.

Yoon’s legal team has called the warrant “illegal and invalid,” vowing to challenge it in court.

In response, Yoon’s supporters have argued that the martial law declaration was within the president’s constitutional authority, and his legal team claims Yoon’s failure to attend the summons was due to legitimate concerns.

The court in Seoul has granted investigators until January 6 to execute the warrant, with the possibility of requesting an extension.

However, it remains uncertain whether investigators will succeed in arresting Yoon, given the strong security around him and the potential interference from protesters.

The presidential security service has previously blocked efforts by investigators to enter official grounds and Yoon’s private residence for court-approved searches.

Yoon has been suspended from presidential duties since December 14 following the impeachment vote in parliament.

However, he can only be removed from office if his impeachment is upheld by South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which currently has six sitting judges, leaving the outcome of the case uncertain.

The political tension has led to further instability, with opposition lawmakers targeting key figures in the government, including Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who now faces potential impeachment.