Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Court Hearing Over Failed Martial Law Bid

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court for the first time on Saturday as part of a hearing to decide whether his detention should be extended.

Investigators are probing his failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3, an action that threw the nation into political turmoil.

Yoon, who insists his arrest was illegal, attempted to suspend civilian rule, citing the need to combat threats from “anti-state elements.” His martial law decree lasted only six hours after lawmakers voted it down. In a dramatic turn, Yoon ordered soldiers to storm parliament to prevent lawmakers from voting, but the move was swiftly rejected.

Following the failed attempt, Yoon was impeached by parliament and resisted arrest for weeks, staying in his guarded residence until his detention in a dawn raid on Wednesday. His arrest marked a historic moment as Yoon became the first sitting president of South Korea to be detained.

At the court hearing, Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, told journalists that the suspended president intended to attend “with the intention of restoring his honour.” His supporters, rallying outside the court, attempted to surround the blue van carrying Yoon as they voiced their defiance against his detention.

Yoon has refused to cooperate during the initial 48-hour investigation period and remains in custody after investigators filed a request on Friday for a new warrant to extend his detention. A judge at the Seoul Western District Court was set to review this request in a hearing scheduled for 2:00 pm (0500 GMT), with a decision expected either Saturday night or early Sunday.

If approved, the new warrant would likely extend Yoon’s detention by 20 days, allowing prosecutors more time to prepare an indictment. The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) is probing Yoon for insurrection, a charge that could lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty if he is found guilty.

Since Yoon’s detention, his supporters have gathered outside the court, waving South Korean and American flags while demanding the judges reject the request to extend his detention. The court has heightened security, closing its entrance to the public on Friday evening due to safety concerns.

Yoon has refused to answer investigators’ questions, with his legal team stating that he had already explained his position when detained. Additionally, Yoon has not attended hearings at the Constitutional Court, which is deliberating whether to uphold his impeachment. If the court rules against him, Yoon would lose the presidency, and elections would be triggered within 60 days.

Though Yoon won the presidential election in 2022, the opposition Democratic Party holds a majority in parliament following last year’s legislative elections. The Democratic Party has celebrated Yoon’s arrest, with a top official calling it “the first step” toward restoring constitutional order.

As pressure mounts on the impeached leader, parliament passed a bill late Friday to initiate a special counsel investigation into his failed martial law bid.