Court Accepts Extension Of President Yoon's Arrest Order

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol who was impeached by parliament/PHOTO via Instagram @sukyeol.yoon

JAKARTA - The court on Tuesday (7/1) extended its arrest warrant against the impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol, regarding the imposition of a military emergency that only lasted briefly.

As reported by ANTARA from Yonhap-OANA, the Seoul West District Court granted an extension requested by investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High Officials (CIO), following an initial order expired on Monday, according to a statement from a relevant official.

CIO's attempt to carry out the warrant last Friday failed after presidential security officers prevented investigators from entering Yoon's official residence in downtown Seoul.

Although investigators did not disclose the duration of the extension of the warrant, it is believed the extension exceeds the usual seven-day deadline, given the challenges anticipated in detaining Yoon.

CIO filed an initial warrant on December 30 on charges that Yoon was the mastermind behind the uprising and abuse of power.

The next day, the same court issued the warrant, making it the first historical event in which an arrest warrant was issued to a president who is still in office.

With this extension, CIO is expected to try again executing an arrest warrant against Yoon in the near future.

As for Sunday, Seoul's Western District Court rejected a request for a suspension submitted by President Yoon seeking to cancel a warrant for the arrest and search of the president's residence.

The court made the decision days after legal team Yoon objected to suspending the enactment of a warrant they deem illegal.

Although there were no immediate details about the reasons for the court's refusal, Yoon's legal team said they would consider filing an appeal against the decision.

"We will consider whether to appeal to the Supreme Court," said Yun Gap-geun, Yoon's lawyer.