Seoul (AFP) – A South Korean court early Thursday approved a fresh arrest warrant for disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol and placed him in custody, days after special investigators renewed efforts to detain him over his failed martial law bid.
Yoon was released from detention in March after the Seoul Central District Court overturned his January arrest, allowing him to stand trial for insurrection without being held in custody. In April, Yoon was formally removed from office after his impeachment was upheld by the country's Constitutional Court.
South Korea's special counsel prosecutors on Sunday sought a new arrest warrant for Yoon on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of official duties, among others.
Nam Se-jin, a senior judge at Seoul's Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for Yoon over concerns that he could "destroy evidence" in the case.
Prosecutor Park Ji-young, a member of the special counsel, also told reporters: "We've just checked and confirmed that the warrant has been issued."
The former president, 64, is already on trial for insurrection, personally appearing in court to contest the charges.
However, Yoon has refused several summonses from a special counsel launched by parliament to investigate his martial law attempt, prompting prosecutors to seek his arrest on June 24.
That request was initially denied after the court noted Yoon had since signaled a willingness to cooperate. But on Sunday, the special counsel filed a fresh warrant request, claiming his detention was deemed necessary.
Yoon had attended a hearing on Wednesday that lasted about seven hours, during which he rejected all charges, before being taken to a detention centre near the South Korean capital.
There, he waited for the court's decision in a holding room.
Once the warrant was issued, 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.
If formally indicted, Yoon could remain in custody for up to six months pending an initial court ruling.
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 attempt 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.
Lee inherited a nation deeply fractured by the political crisis triggered by Yoon, whose attempt to subvert civilian rule -- which saw armed soldiers deployed to parliament -- sent shock waves through South Korean democracy.