Suspended President of South Korea
A South Korean court on Tuesday approved an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, investigative officials said. President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and suspended from power on December 3 over his decision to impose martial law. “An arrest warrant and search warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol have been issued by the Joint Investigation Headquarters on Tuesday morning,” the Joint Investigation Headquarters said in a statement.
Arrest warrant issued for the first time for a President
The Office of Corruption Investigation of High-Ranking Officials confirmed that the Seoul Western District Court has approved the warrant. According to local media, this is the first arrest warrant issued for a sitting president in South Korea.
On Monday, South Korean investigators sought an arrest warrant for Yoon if short-term martial law was imposed this month. Yoon is facing criminal investigation on possible rebellion charges. The court has refused to make any comment in this matter.
The President had declared martial law
The President of South Korea, in a shocking decision on Tuesday night, declared martial law in South Korea for the first time but it was withdrawn after immense pressure. In his address, Yun cited opposition efforts to weaken the government and said he was declaring martial law “to crush anti-national forces wreaking havoc.” This order meant that the country came under temporary military control.
Martial law was imposed during emergency
Martial law in South Korea was imposed during a state of emergency, which means temporary rule in the country, during which the command of the country passes into the hands of the military. The reason for this is said to be that the elected government is unable to do its work. It was last announced in South Korea in 1979, when South Korea’s then military dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated during a coup.
It has never been implemented since South Korea became a parliamentary democracy in 1987, but President Yoon had just imposed martial law in the country. In his address to the nation, he said that he was trying to save South Korea from ‘anti-national forces’.
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