South Korea’s suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol has been issued with an arrest warrant over his attempt to impose martial law, sparking a major constitutional crisis in the country.
The warrant, issued by a court in the capital Seoul, comes after Yoon ignored three summonses to appear for questioning over the past two weeks. His lawyers have dismissed the warrant as “illegal and invalid” and vowed to challenge it in court.
Yoon’s decision to declare martial law on December 3 was met with widespread outrage and opposition from the government and the public. The move was seen as a desperate attempt by Yoon to cling to power after he was impeached by the opposition-dominated parliament.
Yoon is South Korea’s first sitting president to face arrest, and his whereabouts are currently unknown. He has been banned from leaving the country and is under investigation for abusing his power and inciting an insurrection.
The presidential security service has blocked investigators from entering the presidential office grounds and Yoon’s private residence to conduct court-approved searches. This has raised concerns that Yoon may be able to avoid arrest.
In a statement, Yoon’s lawyer said that investigators had no authority to arrest him, as declaring martial law was within the president’s constitutional authority. However, the opposition has vowed to continue pushing for Yoon’s impeachment and removal from office.
The current turmoil in South Korea has left the country in a state of flux, with two acting presidents and prime ministers vying for power. The opposition has threatened to impeach the current acting president and prime minister, finance minister Choi Sang-mok, if he does not step down.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Yoon will respond to the arrest warrant and whether he will be able to avoid being removed from office.
