Former South Korean President Fights Back: Yoon Suk Yeol Challenges Arrest in Court

A Seoul court was set to hold a hearing Friday on former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s request to challenge his arrest amid a special counsel probe into his botched attempt to impose martial law.

Yoon arrived at the Seoul Central District Court around 9 a.m. to attend the closed-door hearing, scheduled for 10:15 a.m. The hearing will review his arrest to determine its legality and whether it should remain in effect.

He was escorted directly into a holding cell in a transport vehicle, avoiding any contact with the media.

The ousted president filed for the court review Wednesday, less than a week after being placed under arrest at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just south of the capital. Yoon faces five key charges related to his attempt to impose martial law on December 3.

If the court rules in Yoon’s favor, he will be released and stand trial without detention. The court must deliver its ruling within 24 hours after the hearing.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team is expected to argue for maintaining the arrest, citing the gravity of the charges against Yoon and the risk of evidence tampering or witness intimidation.

They will likely also urge the court to consider Yoon’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation. The former president has skipped his insurrection trial twice and declared he will boycott all future hearings unless Cho’s team is removed from the courtroom.

Yoon is anticipated to argue that his detention is unnecessary, claiming he poses no flight risk and that his health is deteriorating.

Yoon’s legal team contends that the investigation by Cho’s team is illegal, asserting that it severely violates the defendant’s rights. (Yonhap)