Lawyers for South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, announced Thursday that he will refuse additional questioning by anti-corruption officials, asserting that the investigation into his actions is unlawful.
President Yoon invoked his right to remain silent during a 10-hour interrogation at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials on Wednesday. His detention followed a significant law enforcement operation to apprehend him at his official residence in Seoul.
Investigators are expected to seek a court order for Yoon’s formal arrest in the coming days. The anti-corruption agency, working alongside police and military investigators, is probing whether Yoon’s declaration of martial law last month constituted an attempted rebellion. The agency has a 48-hour window to either file for his formal arrest or release him.
Yoon’s legal team has challenged the validity of the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court, filing a petition with the Seoul Central District Court to review his release. The arrest process is temporarily paused as the court considers the petition, which may take up to 48 hours.
Due to security concerns, Yoon did not attend a Thursday hearing related to the review, his lawyer Seok Dong-hyeon confirmed. A decision on the matter is anticipated later in the evening.
The political turmoil escalated as hundreds of Yoon’s supporters gathered near the court amid a strong police presence, waving banners and demanding his release.
The crisis began on December 3, when Yoon declared martial law in a controversial bid to resolve legislative deadlock, deploying troops to the National Assembly. The measure was swiftly overturned by lawmakers, who breached the blockade and voted to end martial law. Subsequently, on December 14, the opposition-majority assembly impeached Yoon, accusing him of rebellion and suspending his presidential powers.
The Constitutional Court is now deliberating whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him.
Yoon has resisted efforts to investigate his role in the December 3 events. For weeks, he refused to appear for questioning, citing laws protecting sites with potential military secrets. His lawyers argued that the anti-corruption agency lacked the authority to investigate rebellion allegations.
Despite his resistance, including a failed attempt to prevent detention with a security barricade, Yoon was eventually taken into custody following a five-hour raid at the presidential residence.
Before his detention, Yoon released a video message criticizing the investigation as a collapse of the “rule of law.” He reaffirmed his stance that the anti-corruption agency has no legal grounds to investigate his actions but agreed to detention to avoid violence.
The Constitutional Court has declined a request from Yoon’s legal team to delay a hearing on his impeachment case. However, he retains the right to attend proceedings while in custody.
If the court approves a warrant for Yoon’s formal arrest, investigators can extend his detention for up to 20 days before transferring the case to prosecutors. If indicted on rebellion and abuse of power charges, Yoon could remain in detention until a verdict, typically delivered within six months.
Under South Korean law, a conviction for leading a rebellion could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.
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