Prosecutors in South Korea seek to re-detain ex-President Yoon Seok-youl
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was impeached and removed from office for allegedly masterminding a coup and attempting to impose martial law, was released from custody by the Seoul court in March.
The latest developments in the case against Yoon have been unfolding since his arrest in January, following the declaration of martial law in December 2024. Special prosecutors in South Korea have been investigating the imposition of martial law, with a team of over 200 prosecutors and investigators taking over the case.
Yoon has appeared before the prosecutors under threat of arrest but has maintained that the investigation is politically motivated and a tactic of public humiliation. The special prosecutor's attempt to secure a new arrest warrant was rejected by the court on the basis that Yoon has indicated willingness to cooperate.
The investigation is concerning the imposition of martial law in December 2024, which followed Yoon's party’s parliamentary defeat and mobilized far-right groups and supporters who disputed the legitimacy of his removal. The far-right surge under Yoon’s leadership blended populism, conspiracies, and hostility to liberal democracy, intensifying political polarization in South Korea.
On April 4, 2025, South Korea's Constitutional Court unanimously upheld Yoon's impeachment by parliament, declaring that he violated the constitutional order and posed a serious threat to the democratic republic. This made Yoon only the second South Korean president ever removed from office by impeachment.
Following his arrest, Yoon was held in solitary confinement at Seoul Detention Center before being released on March 8, 2025. The Seoul court has continued to examine the coup case against Yoon, with the details of the case set to be revealed in court.
The case against Yoon is highly politicized and emblematic of deep divisions in South Korean society. The announcement of his release from custody was made at a briefing, as reported by the Renhap agency. The investigation continues intensively under a special prosecutor, with Yoon set to stand trial for his role in declaring martial law.
The ongoing investigation into former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's imposition of martial law in December 2024 is a significant point of contention in the realm of policy-and-legislation and general-news, as it delves into the political implications of such actions. The politically charged nature of the case against Yoon, rooted in the allegations of coup masterminding and martial law declaration, is a stark example of the impact of war-and-conflicts and politics on the democratic government of South Korea.
