South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol has been rearrested in connection with his controversial attempt to impose martial law last year—a move that sparked nationwide political upheaval and ultimately led to his impeachment.
A senior judge at the Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant on Wednesday, citing concerns that Yoon could tamper with or destroy evidence ahead of his trial. The warrant followed a seven-hour hearing during which a special counsel team laid out five key charges against the former leader, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Yoon, who briefly declared six hours of military rule in December, was impeached by lawmakers in April. He now faces trial on serious charges including leading an insurrection—one of the few offences not covered by presidential immunity in South Korea.
Among the allegations, prosecutors say Yoon violated the rights of his cabinet members by excluding several of them from a crucial meeting before declaring martial law. There are also reports that he ordered military drones to fly over North Korean territory to provoke a response that would justify his imposition of emergency rule.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Yoon appeared with his legal team to deny all charges. He was taken into custody shortly afterwards and transported to the Seoul Detention Center while awaiting formal trial proceedings.
This marks the second time Yoon has been arrested over the incident. His initial arrest in January followed a dramatic standoff at his residence in central Seoul, where authorities were forced to breach barricades and cut through barbed wire to detain him. A court later overturned the arrest on technical grounds, allowing his temporary release in March, though charges remained in place.
If convicted, Yoon could face life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Several other senior officials from his administration are also under investigation and face charges ranging from insurrection to abuse of authority.
Yoon’s downfall triggered a snap election in June, resulting in the victory of President Lee Jae-myung. Lee, who campaigned on a platform to restore democratic integrity and transparency, launched the special counsel probe shortly after taking office, vowing accountability for the constitutional crisis triggered by Yoon’s actions.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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