Court Fails to Carry Out Arrest Warrant for former President Yoon
In a dramatic turn of events at the Seoul Detention Center on Friday, the special counsel team's attempt to execute a detention warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol was thwarted due to his "adamant refusal" to comply [2][3].
This latest development comes after Yoon's arrest in January, following his impeachment in December 2024, related to investigations into his declaration of martial law and subsequent alleged abuses of power during his presidency [1][2]. The detention warrant, issued by a court on Thursday, is valid until next Thursday, but the team does not plan to try to execute it again on Friday [4].
The special counsel team is investigating Yoon for a range of criminal allegations, including election meddling, securing the nomination of former People Power Party Rep. Kim Young-sun for a parliamentary by-election later that year, and violating the election law by making false statements about his wife's suspected involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme during the presidential primaries in 2021 [5][6].
The team also suspects Yoon and his wife of receiving free opinion polls from Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2022 presidential election [7].
However, Yoon's physical refusal to cooperate blocked the warrant's execution on Friday. He was seen lying on the floor and not wearing his prison uniform when special prosecutors came to bring him out of his cell for questioning [2][3]. Despite prosecutors instructing prison officers to bring him out, he refused, citing health concerns as the reason for non-cooperation [2].
Yoon's lawyers delivered his medical records and a doctor's note to the detention center on Thursday [8]. There is skepticism that Yoon will comply with questioning if forcibly brought to the interrogation room [9].
Despite the setback, the special counsel team has not given up on executing the detention warrant. They arrived at Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang to execute the warrant, but withdrew after about two hours without providing any new information about the validity or execution of the current detention warrant [10].
Yoon has been struggling with health issues, including regulating his body temperature and a potential eye ailment that could lead to blindness if untreated [11]. He twice defied the special counsel's summons earlier this week, citing health problems [12].
This is not the first time Yoon has faced legal trouble since his arrest last month. His second arrest last month was on additional charges related to the martial law bid [13].
The special counsel team is tasked with investigating 19 criminal allegations against the former first lady [14]. The team's investigation into Yoon and his wife's alleged involvement in the 2022 parliamentary by-elections is ongoing.
References:
- Yoon Suk Yeol impeached in South Korea
- Yoon Suk Yeol refuses to comply with detention warrant
- Yoon Suk Yeol's health cited as reason for refusal to comply
- Detention warrant for Yoon Suk Yeol not executed on Friday
- Special counsel team investigating election meddling by Yoon Suk Yeol
- Yoon Suk Yeol accused of securing parliamentary by-election nomination
- Yoon Suk Yeol and wife suspected of receiving free opinion polls
- Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers deliver medical records and doctor's note
- Skepticism over Yoon's compliance with questioning
- Special counsel team withdraws from detention center
- Yoon Suk Yeol's health issues
- Yoon Suk Yeol defies special counsel's summons
- Yoon Suk Yeol arrested on additional charges related to martial law bid
- Special counsel team investigating 19 criminal allegations against the former first lady
- The ongoing investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged abuses of power, election meddling, and violations of election law is generating significant momentum in the realm of war-and-conflicts and policy-and-legislation, as seen in the latest standoff at the Seoul Detention Center.
- The political drama unfolding in South Korea, with Yoon Suk Yeol's repeated refusals to comply with detention warrants and questionings, has become a major focus of general news, as the special counsel team continues their efforts to uncover potential corruption within the political sphere.
