South Korean authorities have requested an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol over his short-lived declaration of martial law, reports Al Jazeera.
The country’s Joint Investigation Headquarters said on Monday that it sought Yoon’s arrest on insurrection and abuse of power charges.
The joint investigative team, comprised of officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the police and the Ministry of Defence, said it sought the arrest warrant after the impeached leader ignored three summonses to appear for questioning.
A court will decide whether to issue a warrant following the request to detain Yoon, which would be a first in South Korean history.
While Yoon is immune from prosecution for most crimes as a sitting president, he is not protected from legal consequences in cases of rebellion or treason.
Yun Gap-geun, a lawyer for Yoon, told the state-funded Yonhap News Agency that the COI was acting beyond its authority and he would take “formal steps” in response.
Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law on December 3 stunned South Korea, plunging the East Asian nation into its biggest political crisis in decades.
He has been suspended from his duties since December 14, when the National Assembly voted for his impeachment in a 204-85 vote.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
