Embattled and impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declined to attend a second day of questioning by investigators, further obstructing a criminal investigation into allegations of insurrection tied to his attempted imposition of martial law.
According to Daily Post, Yoon made history on Wednesday as the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. He was taken to the Seoul Detention Centre after refusing to cooperate with the inquiry.
On Thursday, Yoon remained in detention, with his legal team citing health concerns as the reason for his non-cooperation. Authorities now face a 48-hour deadline to question the president before deciding to release him or request a warrant to detain him for up to 20 days.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court held its second hearing on Yoon’s impeachment trial, which will determine whether to permanently remove him from office or restore his presidential powers.
The political turmoil stems from Yoon’s controversial attempt to impose martial law on December 3, a move swiftly rejected by parliament. The crisis has plunged South Korea into its most significant political upheaval in decades.
During opening arguments at the Constitutional Court, Jung Chung-rae, head of parliament’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee and an opposition Democratic Party lawmaker, condemned Yoon’s actions. “This impeachment trial will decide whether someone like this should return to the role of commander-in-chief, in control of the military,” Jung stated, referencing Yoon’s refusal to comply with his arrest warrant.
In response, Yoon’s defense argued that the impeachment was a political maneuver by the opposition, leveraging their parliamentary majority to usurp presidential authority.
The impeachment vote was initiated by the Democratic Party but received bipartisan support, with 12 lawmakers from Yoon’s own party also voting against him.
