South Korea’s ex leader appeares before prosecutors

(MENAFN) South Korea’s ousted leader Yoon Suk Yeol appeared before prosecutors on Saturday to be questioned regarding insurrection charges tied to his controversial martial law declaration in December, as reported by local sources.

Yoon arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutors Office—where he once served as a prosecutor himself—for an official inquiry into his December 3 move to impose martial law, a decision that triggered political and legal turmoil. The visit follows the launch of a special counsel investigation into the matter just two weeks ago.

Although Yoon’s defense team had requested that he be permitted to use a private entrance, the request was denied, requiring the former president to enter publicly through the main gate.

Authorities had previously criticized Yoon for ignoring three police summons related to the case. His refusal to comply added to the public scrutiny already surrounding his December actions.

The former president was officially removed from office in April by the constitutional court, which found his martial law attempt unconstitutional and labeled it a misuse of executive power.

He was subsequently arrested and charged in January with abuse of authority and inciting an insurrection—making him the first sitting South Korean president to be detained while still in office. However, he was released from custody in March after a district court overturned his arrest, allowing him to await trial without being jailed.

The case remains one of the most significant legal challenges ever faced by a South Korean head of state.

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