Prosecutor's Office Still Chasing South Korean President Yoon's Insurgency Case Who Was Released From Prison

JAKARTA - South Korean prosecutors are still pursuing evidence of criminal law against President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of rebellion despite a court decision ordering Yoon's release from prison.

Attorney General Shim Woo-jung said his party respected the court's ruling last week but disagreed with his assessment that the indictment's filing had crossed a legally permitted deadline, which the court said made Yoon's detention when tried illegal.

"I have ordered the prosecutor to file arguments on various disputes during the trial, and we will do everything we can to continue this indictment," he told reporters when asked if the court's ruling meant the case was likely to be dropped.

Yoon has been on trial since February 20 on charges of leading the uprising by declaring martial law on December 3. He withdrew the military emergency decision after about six hours.

His lawyer filed a motion to cancel his detention. Lawyers said the ruling on Friday showed the case against Yoon was politically motivated and had no legal justification.

The leader, who was struggling, left the detention center on Saturday, about a week less than two months after his arrest.

Yon was impeached by parliament and remained suspended from power.

The Constitutional Court is expected to decide in the coming days whether to cancel impeachment and return it or remove it from office permanently.

If Yoon is removed, a new presidential election will be held within 60 days.

Yoon previously said his military emergency declaration was necessary to eradicate "anti-state elements"; parliament rejected him within hours.

The Seoul Central District Court's decision on Friday to cancel Yoon's arrest warrant drew mixed reactions from the public and political parties.

The prosecutor decided not to appeal the decision based on a conservative reading of the Constitutional Court's decision in previous cases rejecting the prosecutor's appeal, Shim said.

Yoon was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters as he left the detention center and when he returned to his official residence, where he was arrested on January 15, became the first president to be detained and charged.