Woman demonstrating in her undergarments during a judicial session
In a series of unprecedented events, South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol has found himself at the centre of a political storm. The saga began with Yoon's impeachment on December 14, 2024, followed by his self-confinement at the presidential residence amid an attempted arrest beginning January 3, 2025.
The arrest operation, which involved a complex standoff with security forces, was unprecedented in South Korean history as it was the first time a sitting president faced arrest attempts. After months of legal and political turmoil—including mass protests both supporting and opposing Yoon, with crowds reaching hundreds of thousands—he was formally removed from office on April 4, 2025.
The latest chapter in this saga unfolded on August 1, 2025, when reports emerged that Yoon had staged a bizarre protest in his prison cell. According to these reports, Yoon resisted interrogation by prosecutors by lying on the floor in his underwear.
Subsequently, on July 10, 2025, Seoul Central District Court issued a new arrest warrant for Yoon in his capacity as former president for several charges, including obstruction of official duties and abuse of power linked to the short-lived martial law he declared in January.
Yoon is also charged with election fraud, insurrection, and abuse of power. If convicted, he would be the third South Korean president to be convicted of insurrection, following in the footsteps of two military leaders involved in a 1979 coup. If found guilty, Yoon would face life imprisonment or the death penalty.
The authorities temporarily suspended the execution of the arrest warrant due to Yoon's resistance. His lawyers have described the prosecution's actions as "humiliating," and one of Yoon's lawyers, Yoo Jeong-hwa, stated that the action of informing journalists about Yoon's clothing in a cramped cell was inappropriate.
Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho stated that Yoon put his clothes back on after the officials left, and he added that the situation was "embarrassing for a former president."
The early presidential election in June, which took place after Yoon's impeachment, saw the former opposition leader Lee Jae Myung emerge victorious. The political crisis and divisions caused by Yoon's presidency and post-presidency have left a deep mark on South Korean politics, with the nation still grappling with the fallout from these extraordinary events.
- South Korea's community policy regarding the treatment of former presidents under arrest is now under scrutiny in the wake of Yoon Suk Yeol's resistance to interrogation and the allegations of humiliation and inappropriate actions from his lawyers, as reported by general-news media.
- The politics of South Korea have been significantly affected by the crime-and-justice saga involving the impeachment, arrest attempts, and subsequent removal of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, with the nation experiencing a deep division in opinions, mass protests, and a tumultuous presidential election, leaving lasting consequences on South Korea's political landscape.
