Detained South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has refused to answer further questions from investigators over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month, maintaining that the investigation is unlawful.
Yoon exercised his right to remain silent during over 10 hours of questioning on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials. The anti-corruption agency leading the joint investigation has 48 hours to request a court order for formal arrest or release him.
Lawyers argue that the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court is invalid and have asked the Seoul Central District Court to consider his release. A court hearing was set for Thursday, but it remains uncertain if Yoon will attend due to his detention.
The president’s actions sparked South Korea’s most serious political crisis since democratization in the late 1980s when he declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly on December 3. His presidential powers were suspended after lawmakers voted to impeach him on December 14, accusing him of rebellion.
Yoon’s lawyers claim that the anti-corruption agency lacks authority to investigate rebellion allegations, and he has defied efforts to question him for weeks, remaining in his official residence to avoid detention. He was finally brought into custody after a massive law enforcement operation but accepted detention to prevent violence.
If prosecutors indict Yoon on charges of rebellion and abuse of power, he could face life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted. The investigation’s outcome is now in the hands of the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to formally remove him from office or reject the charges and reinstate him.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-detention-court-martial-law-354adfdf81ecb08ba2b850e77e4da888