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Bangkok Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Disgraced Korean ex-president Yoon detained again
SEOUL - South Korea's disgraced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol was detained for a second time Thursday over his declaration of martial law and held in a solitary cell pending investigations into accusations of insurrection. Yoon had plunged South Korea into a political crisis when he sought to subvert civilian rule on December 3, sending armed soldiers to parliament in a bid to prevent lawmakers voting down his declaration of martial law. He became South Korea's first sitting president to be taken into custody when he was detained in a dawn raid in January, after he spent weeks resisting arrest, using his presidential security detail to head off investigators. But he was released on procedural grounds in March, even as his trial on insurrection charges continued. After Yoon's impeachment was confirmed by the court in April, he again refused multiple summons from investigators, prompting them to seek his detention once more to ensure cooperation. The latest arrest warrant was issued over concerns that Yoon would 'destroy evidence' in the case, Nam Se-jin, a senior judge at Seoul's Central District Court said. Solitary The former president, 64, attended a hearing on Wednesday that lasted about seven hours, during which he rejected all charges, before being taken to a detention centre near Seoul where he awaited the court's decision on whether to detain him again. During his warrant hearing, the former president said he is now 'fighting alone', local media reported. 'The special counsel is now going after even my defence lawyers,' said Yoon during his hearing. 'One by one my lawyers are stepping away, and I may soon have to fight this alone.' Once the warrant was issued early Thursday, Yoon was placed in a solitary cell at the facility, where he can be held for up to 20 days as prosecutors prepare to formally indict him including on additional charges. 'Once Yoon is indicted, he could remain detained for up to six months following indictment,' Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, told AFP. 'Theoretically, immediate release is possible, but in this case, the special counsel has argued that the risk of evidence destruction remains high, and that the charges are already substantially supported.' Long time in detention? During the hearing, Yoon's legal team criticised the detention request as unreasonable, stressing that Yoon has been ousted and 'no longer holds any authority'. Earlier this month, the special counsel questioned Yoon about his resistance during a failed arrest attempt in January, as well as accusations that he authorised drone flights to Pyongyang to help justify declaring martial law. The former president also faces charges of falsifying official documents related to the martial law bid. Yoon has defended his martial law decision as necessary to 'root out' pro–North Korean and 'anti-state' forces. But the Constitutional Court, when ousting Yoon from office on April 4 in a unanimous decision, said his acts were a 'betrayal of people's trust' and 'denial of the principles of democracy'. South Korea's current president, Lee Jae Myung, who won the June snap election, approved legislation launching sweeping special investigations into Yoon's push for martial law and various criminal accusations tied to his administration and wife.
Borneo Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
South Korea's disgraced ex-president Yoon detained again over martial law
Yoon leaves the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on July 9, 2025, before being driven to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang. — AFP photo SEOUL (July 10): South Korea's disgraced ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol was detained for a second time Thursday over his declaration of martial law and held in a solitary cell pending investigations into accusations of insurrection. Yoon had plunged South Korea into a political crisis when he sought to subvert civilian rule on Dec 3, sending armed soldiers to parliament in a bid to prevent lawmakers voting down his declaration of martial law. He became South Korea's first sitting president to be taken into custody when he was detained in a dawn raid in January, after he spent weeks resisting arrest, using his presidential security detail to head off investigators. But he was released on procedural grounds in March, even as his trial on insurrection charges continued. After Yoon's impeachment was confirmed by the court in April, he again refused multiple summons from investigators, prompting them to seek his detention once more to ensure cooperation. The latest arrest warrant was issued over concerns that Yoon would 'destroy evidence' in the case, Nam Se-jin, a senior judge at Seoul's Central District Court said. – Solitary – The former president, 64, attended a hearing on Wednesday that lasted about seven hours, during which he rejected all charges, before being taken to a detention centre near Seoul where he awaited the court's decision on whether to detain him again. During his warrant hearing, the former president said he is now 'fighting alone', local media reported. 'The special counsel is now going after even my defence lawyers,' said Yoon during his hearing. 'One by one my lawyers are stepping away, and I may soon have to fight this alone.' Once the warrant was issued early Thursday, Yoon was placed in a solitary cell at the facility, where he can be held for up to 20 days as prosecutors prepare to formally indict him including on additional charges. 'Once Yoon is indicted, he could remain detained for up to six months following indictment,' Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, told AFP. 'Theoretically, immediate release is possible, but in this case, the special counsel has argued that the risk of evidence destruction remains high, and that the charges are already substantially supported.' – Long time in detention? – During the hearing, Yoon's legal team criticised the detention request as unreasonable, stressing that Yoon has been ousted and 'no longer holds any authority'. Earlier this month, the special counsel questioned Yoon about his resistance during a failed arrest attempt in January, as well as accusations that he authorised drone flights to Pyongyang to help justify declaring martial law. The former president also faces charges of falsifying official documents related to the martial law bid. Yoon has defended his martial law decision as necessary to 'root out' pro–North Korean and 'anti-state' forces. But the Constitutional Court, when ousting Yoon from office on April 4 in a unanimous decision, said his acts were a 'betrayal of people's trust' and 'denial of the principles of democracy'. South Korea's current president, Lee Jae Myung, who won the June snap election, approved legislation launching sweeping special investigations into Yoon's push for martial law and various criminal accusations tied to his administration and wife. — AFP Lawyers for a Democratic Society martial law yoon suk-yeol
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Two trials, one president: South Korea's Yoon in the dock
South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday became the country's first sitting head of state on trial on criminal charges. He is also concurrently attending hearings at the country's Constitutional Court, whose judges are to decide in the coming weeks whether to uphold his December impeachment by parliament. AFP takes a look at how South Korea's justice system is holding Yoon to account for declaring martial law -- and what might happen next. - How do the two trials differ? - Yoon was suspended from office by lawmakers in December on allegations of insurrection for imposing martial law. He was then arrested in January on insurrection charges and has since been held at a detention centre. Ongoing trials will now determine whether both of those decisions are upheld. "The Constitutional Court makes the decision to remove President Yoon from office through impeachment proceedings," lawyer Chu Eun-hye told AFP. "Whether the individual Yoon Suk Yeol is guilty or not is determined in a criminal trial," Chu said. If the Constitutional Court backs his removal, Yoon will become the second president in South Korean history to be successfully impeached. "The Constitutional Court's procedure holds Yoon accountable for political responsibility," Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society and who is not involved in the investigation, told AFP. "His criminal liability remains separate and that will be dealt with by the criminal prosecution process," said Yun. In December 2016, then-President Park Geun-hye was impeached by parliament for receiving or requesting tens of millions of dollars from conglomerates, including tech giant Samsung, and blacklisting any prominent figures in the cultural or entertainment industries, as well as officials who opposed her. She was later sentenced to 20 years in prison and slapped with heavy fines. - How long will it take? - The criminal trial process takes longer than an impeachment trial, typically lasting at least six months, said Chu. Park, for example, was impeached in December 2016 -- but it wasn't until January 2021 that the Supreme Court finalised her sentence. Thursday's Constitutional Court hearing will be Yoon's last unless either side requests another session and it is accepted, Kim Hyun-jung, a researcher at the Korea University Institute of Law, told AFP. Experts then predict that the verdict for Yoon's impeachment case will be delivered in March. "Considering the practice of issuing rulings just over ten days after setting a date, a decision is expected by March 11," Park Kyun-taek, Democratic Party lawmaker told a radio show this week. "If the judges recognise the urgency of the matter, a ruling as early as March 6 could also be possible," he said. For late President Roh Moo-hyun, who was reinstated by the Constitutional Court after being impeached by parliament, it took 14 days. Former President Park, on the other hand, was issued a verdict only 11 days after her final hearing. - What happens if he is found guilty? - Legal experts agree it is highly unlikely the Constitutional Court will reinstate Yoon. "Many legal scholars and experts agree that a unanimous ruling in favour of impeachment would be made by the Constitutional Court judges," said Kim. "Legally speaking the case is quite clear-cut," Yun argued. Unlike President Park's case which involved multiple moving parts, for Yoon, the issue is "only about the constitutional violations made as the martial law was declared". But if Yoon is restored to office, it would "lead to an absurd situation," said Yun. Legally, Yoon will remain in power -- despite his remaining criminal trials. "It's a contradiction, really," Yun told AFP. "If the president is not removed from office, he would continue to face a criminal trial for insurrection while still serving as the sitting president," he explained. "That in itself would be highly inappropriate." For charges of insurrection, Yoon could be sentenced to life in prison. The 64-year-old could also face the maximum penalty: a death sentence. But is it highly unlikely that sentence would be carried out: South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997. hs/oho/hmn
