Court releases Sokor president from jail
SEOUL—A South Korean court canceled impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol’s arrest warrant on Friday, potentially paving the way for his release from jail while he faces trial on insurrection charges over a brief imposition of martial law.
The Seoul Central District Court said in a statement that its ruling was based on the timing of the indictment that came after the initial detention period had expired, and noted “questions about the legality” of the investigation process that involved two separate agencies.
The ruling did not dismiss the criminal charges that led to Yoon’s arrest on Jan. 15, and the case is separate from his impeachment which is still pending before the Constitutional Court.
Both were triggered by his Dec. 3 martial law declaration that also led to the impeachment of the prime minister, who had taken over as acting president.
South Korea’s Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is now acting head of state, and has sought to calm economic markets and reassure international partners amid chaos in government leadership.
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Yoon’s lawyers and his presidential office welcomed the district court decision, saying it showed the case against Yoon had been pursued for political purposes with no legal justification.
“The court’s decision to cancel the arrest showed this country’s rule of law is still alive,” Yoon’s lawyers said in a statement.
Yoon’s lawyers called for his immediate release, though conceded he may not be immediately freed because prosecutors could appeal. The prosecutors’ office did not immediately comment on the ruling.
Yoon’s defense team had argued that a warrant issued on Jan. 19 that extended Yoon’s detention was invalid because the request filed by prosecutors was procedurally flawed.
It has also claimed that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which conducted the first stage of the criminal investigation against Yoon, had no legal authority to do so on insurrection charges.
Legal experts said that while Friday’s decision by the district court was not a vindication for Yoon, it did raise questions about the integrity of the indictment and touched on legal issues that do not have a clear precedent.
