Ex-South Korean President appears in court
Date
1/19/2025 7:02:32 AM
(MENAFN) Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yul appeared in court on Saturday to contest investigators’ request for an extension of his detention on rebellion charges, according to his lawyer. Yoon, who was arrested on Wednesday, made history as the first sitting South Korean president to be detained. His arrest stems from a criminal investigation into his brief declaration of martial law on December 3.
On Friday, investigators sought an arrest warrant to extend Yoon's detention for an additional 20 days. Since his arrest, Yoon has refused to cooperate with investigators and remains in a detention center in Seoul. Police were seen dispersing a group of Yoon's supporters who had gathered outside Seoul's West District Court, where the hearing commenced around 2 p.m. (0500 GMT). A decision on his detention is expected either on Saturday or Sunday.
Television coverage showed a convoy of police cars and motorcycles escorting Yoon from the detention center to the court. Yoon's lawyer, Yoon Kap-kun, stated that the former president decided to attend the hearing to defend his honor by explaining the legitimacy of the emergency martial law declaration and asserting that the rebellion charge is unsubstantiated. The rebellion charge is one of the few that does not offer Yoon immunity, as it involves high-ranking officials from the Corruption Investigation Office. In South Korea, hearings related to arrest warrants typically last about two hours, but could extend to 8 to 10 hours if the discussions become more intense.
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