Court decides to remand South Korea's president in custody
The Western District Court of Seoul has decided to take South Korean President Yun Seok-yol into custody. This was reported by Yonhap News Agency on January 18.
"President Yoon Seok-yeol <...> has been arrested. <...> It is feared that the suspect may destroy evidence after interrogation," the report said.
Yoon Seok-yeol was arrested on Jan. 15, a detention designed to last 48 hours, during which the court was to decide on further detention. Consideration of the matter began on January 18 at 14:00 local time (8:00 Moscow time) and lasted five hours.
Yonhap recalled that the court decision allows investigators to keep the head of state in custody for up to 20 days. This period includes the days that Yoon Seok-yeol spent in custody after being detained at the Seoul residence.
Prior to that, in late December, the court issued the first arrest warrant for Yoon Seok-yeol. On January 3, it was reported that law enforcers arrived at the South Korean president's residence to arrest him. At the same time, it was reported that the President's security service did not allow the investigation to search his residence in Seoul. The warrant for the re-arrest of the President of the Republic was issued on January 7.
The situation in the Republic of Korea escalated in early December 2024, when President Yun Seok-yol declared martial law. The reason for such a step he called the threat of paralysis of power, arising from attempts to conduct impeachment proceedings. Commander of the emergency regime - Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces Park Ahn-soo noted that until the lifting of martial law in the republic prohibited the activities of the parliament, political parties and associations. Military equipment was brought to the streets of Seoul.
