SEOUL, South Korea — The recently impeached leader of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, was officially taken into custody on Sunday, only a few days after a significant law enforcement action that led to his arrest at the presidential palace in Seoul.
This development may trigger an extensive period of incarceration for Yoon, which could span several months, as he confronts serious allegations of rebellion tied to his controversial declaration of martial law on December 3.
Just hours following his announcement, the National Assembly swiftly annulled the martial law decree.
Yoon has maintained that his actions were necessary due to resistance from the opposition, which holds a majority in the legislature, hindering his efforts to push through key policies and even the national budget. He has characterized the opposition members as supporters of North Korea, labeling them as “anti-state forces” responsible for creating chaos and being the “root cause of our nation’s demise.”
The timeline of events leading to Yoon’s arrest is as follows:
On January 19, the district court in Seoul approved a request for an arrest warrant, pointing to Yoon as a potential risk for destroying evidence, which incited riots among his supporters who stormed the court, leading to around 90 arrests.
On January 15, police and anti-corruption investigators raided the presidential compound to detain Yoon, marking the first time a sitting president has been arrested. Prior to his arrest, Yoon had remained in seclusion at his residence, asserting he would “fight to the end” against the attempts to unseat him.
On January 14, a brief constitutional court hearing was held concerning Yoon’s impeachment, but it concluded quickly when he chose not to attend.
On January 7, Park Jong-joon, the head of the presidential security service, resigned amid the escalating political scandal.
This turmoil began on January 3 when clashes occurred as investigators attempted to enter the compound but were obstructed by security forces and barricades.
The previous month, the district court issued a warrant for Yoon’s detention for questioning on December 31.
The political climate further shifted when on December 27, the National Assembly voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, resulting from his failure to fill vacancies within the Constitutional Court.
Following this, on December 14, the Assembly passed a motion to impeach Yoon, with a vote of 204 to 85, suspending his powers and transferring authority to Prime Minister Han.
On December 12, Yoon defended his martial law decree, framing it as a necessary governmental action and denying the allegations of rebellion. During this time, the Assembly also suspended the national police chief and the justice minister for their involvement in the martial law enforcement.
On December 11, Kim Yong Hyun, the former defense minister, was arrested for his alleged collusion regarding the imposition of martial law.
The South Korean police had attempted to search Yoon’s office for evidence but were thwarted by his security team.
Yoon’s martial law decree raised significant concerns when, on December 10, Kwak Jong-keun, a military commander, claimed he was instructed to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly.
The unfolding events accelerated on December 9, when the Justice Ministry barred Yoon from leaving the country amid growing investigations into allegations of rebellion linked to the martial law decree.
The following day, December 8, former defense minister Kim was detained for his role in facilitating Yoon’s martial law.
On December 7, Yoon affirmed his readiness to accept legal consequences for the declaration and indicated that his party would navigate the political upheaval, including decisions regarding his presidency.
Despite considerable pressure, Yoon narrowly survived an impeachment vote earlier that month, which failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority due to a boycott by many ruling party members.
On December 6, the leader of Yoon’s party acknowledged the need to suspend his powers, expressing concerns about potential extreme measures Yoon might undertake, such as reinstating martial law.
Yoon had previously replaced his defense minister on December 5 due to the controversy surrounding his martial law declaration.
Shortly after midnight on December 4, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik announced through social media that the Assembly would respond constitutionally to Yoon’s martial law decree.
In a dramatic series of events, some military personnel attempted to forcefully enter the Assembly but were met with resistance. By 1 a.m., 190 lawmakers voted to lift the martial law, which was fully rescinded by 4:30 a.m. following a Cabinet meeting.
The situation escalated late on December 3 when, during a live television address, President Yoon declared martial law, accusing the opposition-controlled Assembly of being a “den of criminals” obstructing government functions.
He promised to eliminate his political adversaries, alleging they were responsible for the nation’s issues without providing concrete evidence.
In response, the Democratic Party initiated an emergency assembly meeting as lawmakers rushed to convene and take action against Yoon’s declaration.
Yoon’s announcement mobilized military forces to block access to the National Assembly, prompting Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung to call for public support to enable lawmakers to enter.
This sequence of events highlights the severe political strife and tension within South Korea, leading to Yoon Suk Yeol’s arrest and the potential ramifications for the country’s governance.
