South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been detained for a second time over allegations of attempting to subvert democracy through a failed declaration of martial law in December 2024.
ccording to the AFP, Yoon, 64, is being held in solitary confinement at a detention facility near Seoul following a court-issued arrest warrant.
He faces multiple charges, including insurrection, abuse of power, and falsifying state documents.
“The court determined there is a strong possibility that the suspect may destroy evidence,” said Judge Nam Se-jin of the Seoul Central District Court, explaining the basis for the renewed detention.
Yoon was first arrested in January in a dramatic early morning raid after defying summons for weeks and allegedly using his presidential security detail to shield himself from arrest. Although he was released on procedural grounds in March, prosecutors reactivated efforts to detain him after he continued to ignore investigative requests.
Yoon’s fall from power began when he allegedly ordered armed soldiers to block lawmakers from overturning his martial law decree—an action that triggered widespread condemnation and political turmoil.
At Wednesday’s court hearing, which lasted nearly seven hours, the former leader denied all charges. Local media quoted Yoon as saying, “The special counsel is now going after even my defence lawyers. One by one, they are stepping away, and I may soon have to fight this alone.”
Following his impeachment in April and the swearing-in of current President Lee Jae Myung, the new administration authorized sweeping investigations into Yoon’s alleged abuses while in office. These include claims that he used drone flights to North Korea as a pretext for imposing martial law.
Prosecutor Park Ji-young told journalists that the latest detention is strictly in line with the court’s order. “Investigations during this detention period will focus on the specific charges listed in the warrant,” she said.
Yoon is currently held in a cell without air-conditioning amid an ongoing heatwave, with officials stating that his status as former president “will be taken into account,” but he “will be treated like any other suspect.”
Legal analysts say Yoon could be held for up to 20 days before formal indictment and may remain in custody for an additional six months depending on the progress of the trial.
Commenting on the broader implications, Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, remarked, “This case underscores the importance of accountability in high office. The charges are serious, and the risk of evidence tampering is significant.”
The Constitutional Court had earlier described Yoon’s actions as a “betrayal of public trust” and a “denial of democratic principles,” sealing his removal from office in a unanimous decision.
Yoon continues to claim his actions were aimed at protecting South Korea from internal threats, stating in a previous address that he was acting to “root out anti-state and pro–North Korean elements.”
