Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been denied release by the Seoul Central District Court, a day after being detained at his residence for questioning over allegations of rebellion tied to his controversial martial law declaration last month. Yoon was sent to a detention center near Seoul on January 15 after more than 10 hours of questioning by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials.
During the interrogation, he invoked his right to remain silent and refused further questioning the following day. His lawyers argued the investigation was illegal and filed complaints with prosecutors, but the court upheld the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court.
Yoon had evaded multiple summons for questioning, prompting a large-scale operation involving hundreds of law enforcement personnel to detain him at his residence. Investigators now have 48 hours to decide whether to formally arrest him or release him.
His lawyers criticized the raid and detention, labeling them unconstitutional, while Yoon himself refrained from attending a court hearing over his detention warrant on January 16 due to security concerns. Seok Dong-hyeon, one of his lawyers, maintained that the anti-corruption agency lacks jurisdiction to investigate Yoon’s actions.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Yoon’s supporters rallied near the court and detention center, calling for his release and denouncing the investigation. Yoon’s martial law declaration on December 3, aimed at breaking legislative gridlock, led to troops being deployed around the National Assembly.
The move triggered South Korea’s most severe political crisis since democratization in the 1980s. Lawmakers ultimately broke through the military blockade, lifted the measure, and impeached Yoon on December 14 for rebellion.
His presidential powers remain suspended pending a Constitutional Court decision on whether to permanently remove him or reinstate him. In a video statement before his detention, Yoon decried the investigation, claiming it symbolized the collapse of the rule of law in South Korea. Despite this, he stated he accepted detention to avoid violence.
