South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a court hearing to contest a request from investigators seeking to prolong his detention on charges of insurrection.
On Wednesday, Mr. Yoon became the first sitting president in the country to be arrested, as part of a criminal investigation stemming from his brief declaration of martial law on December 3.
Investigators filed a request for a detention warrant yesterday, aiming to extend Mr. Yoon’s custody for up to 20 days. He has refused to cooperate with investigators and has been held at the Seoul Detention Centre since his arrest.
Following the hearing, Mr. Yoon returned to the Seoul Detention Centre to await the court’s ruling, which is anticipated either today or on Sunday.
Pro-Yoon supporters stand off with police outside the Seoul Western District Court
“(Yoon) sincerely explained and responded to questions regarding factual relationships, evidence, and legal principles… We will patiently await the court’s decision,” stated Mr. Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, after the hearing.
Mr. Yoon chose to attend the hearing “to restore his honour by directly clarifying the legitimacy of emergency martial law and asserting that insurrection has not been established,” his lawyer added earlier.
Television broadcasts displayed a convoy of approximately a dozen vehicles and police motorbikes escorting Mr. Yoon from the detention centre to the court, as well as back to the detention centre.
After police dispersed a crowd of Mr. Yoon’s supporters blocking the court entrance in the morning, thousands of supporters gathered outside the court during the hearing, which commenced around 2 PM local time, chanting “release the president.”
Yoon Suk Yeol pictured being taken to the Seoul Detention Centre after initial questioning
“There are numerous supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol around the court who continue to believe in the rule of law and are standing by the president,” remarked Lee Se-ban, a 30-year-old supporter.
Multiple individuals were arrested by police for attempting to breach the court grounds, including a young man who tried to flee, according to a witness from Reuters.
Insurrection, the charge leveled against Mr. Yoon by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, is one of the few offenses for which an incumbent South Korean president does not possess immunity.
