South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was taken into custody by anti-corruption officials who questioned him over his declaration of martial law last month.
Yoon, the country’s first sitting president to be apprehended, now faces potential rebellion charges and a lengthy prison term. He had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence for weeks while vowing to “fight to the end” against efforts to oust him.
The anti-corruption agency led the raid on the presidential compound earlier in the day, accompanied by police and military forces. Yoon insisted that he complied with questioning to prevent violence but refused to acknowledge the investigation, citing a law protecting locations linked to military secrets.
Yoon’s detention is seen as a significant step towards restoring constitutional order and democracy in South Korea. Lawmakers from his party condemned the detention as unlawful, while others praised it as necessary for upholding the rule of law.
The scene at the compound was tense, with presidential security forces initially resisting the investigation but eventually allowing access to anti-corruption officials. Yoon’s lawyers have disputed the validity of the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court, citing a law protecting locations linked to military secrets.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-martial-law-detain-8dd7f03661be39729741de9a3b5d1714