Seoul, South Korea’s Impeached President Attends Court Hearing to Fight Detention
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a court hearing on Saturday to defend against a request by investigators to extend his detention on allegations of insurrection. Yoon, who was arrested on Wednesday, made history as the first sitting president of the country to be taken into custody.
The hearing at Seoul Western District Court lasted for nearly five hours, with Yoon speaking for about 40 minutes to explain the legitimacy of his emergency martial law declaration and deny the charge of insurrection. Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, said that his client had attended the hearing to “restore his honor” and “explain the factual relationships, evidence, and legal principles.”
Yoon has been held at Seoul Detention Centre since his arrest, and the court is expected to make a decision on Saturday or Sunday. The President has been refusing to cooperate with investigators and has not made any public statements on the matter.
Outside the court, thousands of Yoon’s supporters gathered, chanting “release the president” and surrounding the court behind a police barricade. However, multiple people were arrested by police after attempting to break through the barricade, including a young man who tried to escape.
The charge of insurrection, brought by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, is one of the few crimes that an incumbent South Korean president does not have immunity from. Yoon’s arrest has sparked widespread controversy and divisions within the country, with many people expressing support for his actions and others criticizing his decision to declare martial law.
