South Korean court extends President Yoon’s detention

A South Korean court has extended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention for up to 20 days.

The Seoul Western District Court, on Saturday, ruled that his detention should be extended over concern that he could destroy evidence in the ongoing investigation into his failed martial arts order.

The court said the reason for the approval was the “concern that the suspect may destroy evidence,” CNN reported.

President Yoon became the first South Korean president to be arrested and detained last Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Yoon’s dramatic arrest ended a week-long standoff between investigators and the presidential security team.

Officials from the country’s Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) scaled through barricades and barbed wires to get him into custody.

By law, the CIO could only keep the president in custody for up to 48 hours from the point of arrest.

However, with the court’s approval, the agency can detain him for up to 20 days before he is brought to trial.

His arrest

South Korean regulations require a suspect detained under a warrant to undergo a physical exam, have a mugshot taken and wear a prison uniform.

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The CIO has vowed to investigate President Yoon, who is being held at the Seoul Detention Centre, by law and procedure.

However, President Yoon has stalled the CIO’s efforts to interrogate him by refusing to respond to questions.

The president was arrested for his failed martial law order issued on 3 December, which threw the nation into chaos.

The declaration, which mandated the suspension of civil liberties and the transfer of significant powers to military authorities, had sparked national outrage.

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President Yoon described the short-lived martial law declaration on 3 December as an attempt to protect the country from “anti-state” forces that sympathised with North Korea. Still, the CIO considers it to be spurred by personal political troubles.

Mr Yoon’s actions were deemed an authoritarian overreach and a threat to South Korea’s democracy and led to mass protests and widespread calls for his removal.

The impeachment motion passed with 204 votes in favour, surpassing the required two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. He, however, remained in office after the impeachment.

President Yoon is being accused of insurrection, one of the few crimes for which a South Korean president is not immune.