Seoul Court Approves Extending Detention of South Korea’s President

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared on Saturday to testify before the court that must decide whether to extend the arrest of the ousted leader, who was detained by the national anti-corruption office for his brief declaration of martial law. EFE/JUNG YEON-JE / POOL
January 18, 2025 Hour: 6:29 pm
A Seoul court approved the extension of detention for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol as the investigation regarding his brief declaration of martial law in the country continues.
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The Seoul Western District Court ordered that Yoon remain in preventive detention, accused of insurrection and abuse of power for imposing a state of emergency on December 3 and allegedly sending troops to the opposition-controlled national Parliament to prevent them from approving his dismissal decree.
The court’s decision, citing the risk of evidence destruction, was announced early Sunday morning (Saturday afternoon in GMT), more than twelve hours after the hearing to assess the extension of detention began, which lasted about five hours and during which Yoon defended his position for about 40 minutes.
Following the extension of the arrest, investigators can hold the president for up to 20 days, which includes the time he has already spent at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, where he was sent after his apprehension.
According to details collected by the local news agency Yonhap, the anti-corruption office is expected to transfer custody of Yoon to the state prosecution after 10 days. This agency is expected to thoroughly investigate the president and formally charge him before the 20-day detention period expires.
After the judicial decision was announced, some supporters who had gathered outside the court in connection with the hearing burst into the premises chanting the president’s name and causing a commotion, the cited media reported.
More than 44,000 people gathered outside the court during the day, according to police data.
The South Korean president was arrested last Wednesday by the Office for the High Officials’ Corruption Cases (CIO) after a lengthy standoff at his residence, where he had been holed up since his dismissal on December 14.
Autor: ACJ
Fuente: EFE