Former South Korean president Yoon was found lying on the floor of his detention cell and refused to answer prosecutors' inquiries.
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Criminal Investigations
Former President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, is currently in detention at the Seoul Detention Centre, following his removal from office in April 2025. The detention comes after a renewed arrest warrant was issued on July 10, 2025, charging him with various crimes related to his attempted martial law declaration in December 2024.
The charges against Yoon include obstruction of official duties, violation of the Presidential Security Act, abuse of power, falsification of documents, and election tampering, connected to the martial law event.
Despite being in detention, Yoon has refused to cooperate with prosecutors' questioning. In a highly unusual manner, he resisted arrest attempts by lying on the floor in his underwear and refusing to wear prison-issued clothes. This led prosecutors to temporarily suspend their attempts to forcibly interrogate him over fresh allegations.
His legal team, led by Yu Jeong-hwa, has criticized prosecutors for what they call humiliating treatment and for showing disregard for Yoon's health conditions during the investigation. They argue that bringing up what Yoon was wearing in a hot cell was a public insult to his dignity and a violation of inmates' human rights. It is worth noting that the temperature in the cell where Yoon was being held was close to 40 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, investigations are intensifying, with key aides such as former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min arrested on related charges including potential destruction of evidence. This highlights a broad legal crackdown on Yoon’s inner circle linked to the martial law attempt and the so-called "self-coup" effort that triggered a constitutional crisis.
The special prosecution team under President Lee Jae-myung is still investigating Yoon Suk Yeol for various criminal allegations, including influence-peddling. The influence-peddling allegations connected to Yoon and his wife are still under investigation by the special prosecution team.
In summary:
- Yoon Suk Yeol is currently in detention, facing multiple criminal investigations related primarily to his attempted martial law declaration in December 2024.
- The charges against Yoon include obstruction of official duties, abuse of power, violation of the Presidential Security Act, falsification of documents, and election tampering.
- Yoon has refused to cooperate with prosecutors' questioning, citing health concerns and has resisted arrest attempts in a highly unusual manner.
- Investigations are intensifying, with key aides such as former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min arrested on related charges.
- The special prosecution team under President Lee Jae-myung is still investigating Yoon Suk Yeol for various criminal allegations, including influence-peddling.
[1] Yonhap News Agency [2] The Korea Herald [3] CNN
[1] Yonhap News Agency: World politics: South Korea's Former President Yoon Suk Yeol refuses cooperation amidst multiple war-and-conflicts related investigations.
[2] The Korea Herald: Crime and justice: Yoon Suk Yeol's legal battles continue with ongoing policy-and-legislation scrutiny and general-news coverage.
[3] CNN: Politics: The detained former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol faces intense investigations for alleged abuse of power, obstruction of official duties, and influence-peddling.
