South Korea arrests former president for the second time
On Thursday, July 10, a Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for former President Yun Seok-yol in connection with his failed attempt to impose martial law at the end of 2024, taking him into custody for the second time. This was reported by the agency Yonhap.
A senior judge at Seoul's Central District Court issued the warrant at the request of the prosecutor general, citing fears that the former South Korean president might destroy evidence.
The prosecution team sought the warrant on five key charges, including Yun's alleged violation of the rights of cabinet members. This was manifested by his summoning only a limited number of government officials to a meeting shortly before the declaration of martial law on December 3.
Yoon and his lawyers attended the hearing and denied all charges, after which the former president was taken to a Seoul detention center to await a court decision.
The former president is also accused of creating a fake document declaring martial law after December 3, 2024, to give legitimacy to his actions, and of having the then Prime Minister and Defense Minister sign the document.
Other allegations relate to his alleged instruction to a foreign press spokesperson to spread false statements, his instructions to the Presidential Security Service to prevent his detention by investigators in early January, and his order to delete call records from secure phones used by three military commanders.
- On December 3, 2024, then-South Korean President declared martial law due to an alleged coup threat.
- A few hours later, the country's parliament unanimously supported a resolution to lift martial law.
- On December 31, a court issued a warrant for Yoon's arrest. And on January 15, 2025, he was arrested.
- On January 26, prosecutors charged Yoon with attempted coup d'état.
- On March 8, Yoon was released from custody. He left the Seoul Detention Center, where he had been held for more than 50 days.
