South Korea court rejects arrest warrant for ex-President Yoon, Yonhap says
Yoon Suk Yeol reacts outside the Seoul detention center after his release, in Uiwang, South Korea, March 8, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-ji
SEOUL — A South Korean court has rejected a request to issue an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol related to a probe into his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, the Yonhap News Agency said on Wednesday, citing a special prosecutor.
A spokesperson for the Seoul Central District Court and the prosecution office could not immediately be reached for comment.
South Korea's special prosecutor had asked the court on Tuesday to issue an arrest warrant for Yoon as an investigation intensified over the ousted leader's botched bid to declare martial law in December.
A senior member of the special prosecutor's team of investigators said on Tuesday that the arrest warrant was on a charge of obstruction and accused former President Yoon of refusing to respond to summons for questioning.
The special prosecutor had notified Yoon and his legal counsel to appear for questioning on Saturday, Yonhap reported, adding that it would consider making another request for an arrest warrant if they failed to comply.
Lawyers representing Yoon on Tuesday said in a statement they had not been served a proper summons after the special prosecutor was appointed and that the former president would respond once it was served in a legal manner.
Yoon, who is already facing a criminal trial on insurrection charges for issuing the martial law declaration, was arrested in January after resisting authorities trying to take him into custody, but was released after 52 days on technical grounds.
The special prosecutor was appointed just days after liberal President Lee Jae-myung took office on June 4 after winning the snap election called after Yoon's ouster in April and has launched a team of more than 200 prosecutors and investigators to take over ongoing investigations into Yoon. — Reuters
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