SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Hours after South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested, triggering rioting by his supporters, his legal professionals mentioned Sunday that he stays defiant in his refusal to reply questions over the probe into his declaration of martial legislation final month.
Yoon was formally arrested early on Sunday, days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul. He faces potential imprisonment over his short-lived authoritarian push, which set off the nation’s most severe political disaster since its democratization within the late Eighties.
Yoon’s arrest may mark the start of an prolonged interval in custody, lasting months or extra.
The choice to arrest Yoon ignited unrest on the Seoul Western District Courtroom, the place dozens of his supporters broke in and rioted, destroying the primary door and home windows. They used plastic chairs, steel beams and police shields that they managed to wrestle away from officers. Some have been seen throwing objects and utilizing fireplace extinguishers, destroying furnishings and workplace machines, smashing glass doorways and spraying water on pc servers. They shouted calls for to see the choose who had issued the warrant, however she had already left.
Tons of of cops have been deployed and practically 90 protesters have been arrested. Some injured cops have been seen being handled at ambulance vans. The court docket mentioned it was attempting to verify whether or not any workers members have been injured and assess the harm to its services.
In an announcement issued by way of legal professionals, Yoon lamented that the court docket didn’t acknowledge the “simply function” of his martial legislation decree but additionally urged his supporters to specific their frustrations peacefully. He referred to as on the police to undertake a lenient stance towards the protesters.
Courtroom describes Yoon as risk to destroy proof
In granting legislation enforcement’s request for an arrest warrant for Yoon, the court docket mentioned he was a risk to destroy proof. Yoon and his legal professionals on Saturday appeared earlier than the court docket and argued for his launch.
The Corruption Investigation Workplace for Excessive-Rating Officers, which is main a joint investigation with police and the navy, can now lengthen Yoon’s detention to twenty days, throughout which they’ll switch the case to public prosecutors for indictment.
Investigators are analyzing whether or not Yoon’s Dec. 3 martial legislation decree amounted to an tried rebel. Whereas South Korean presidents have wide-ranging immunity from prosecution whereas in workplace, the safety doesn’t lengthen to allegations of rebel or treason.
Yoon’s legal professionals may additionally file a petition to problem the court docket’s arrest warrant. Yoon Kab-keun, one of many president’s legal professionals, mentioned he is not going to attend a questioning by the anti-corruption company set for Sunday afternoon and can stay on the detention middle.
Yoon Suk Yeol’s look in court docket induced chaotic scenes in close by streets, the place 1000’s of his fervent supporters rallied for hours calling for his launch. Even earlier than the court docket issued the warrant for Yoon’s arrest, protesters repeatedly clashed with police. At the least two automobiles carrying anti-corruption investigators have been broken as they left the court docket after arguing for Yoon’s arrest.
Yoon’s protection minister, police chief and a number of other prime navy commanders have already been arrested and indicted for his or her roles within the enforcement of martial legislation.
Yoon’s lawyer decries his arrest
The disaster started when Yoon, in an try to interrupt by way of legislative gridlock, imposed navy rule and despatched troops to the Nationwide Meeting and election places of work. The standoff lasted solely hours after lawmakers who managed to get by way of a blockade voted to elevate the measure. The opposition-dominated meeting voted to question him on Dec. 14.
His political destiny now lies with the Constitutional Courtroom, which is deliberating whether or not to formally take away him from workplace or reinstate him.
Seok Dong-hyeon, one other lawyer representing Yoon, referred to as the court docket order for his arrest “the epitome of anti-constitutionalism and anti-rule of legislation.” He pointed to the riot and mentioned Yoon’s arrest would encourage extra anger from his supporters.
Yoon’s Individuals Energy Occasion regretted his arrest but additionally pleaded for his supporters to chorus from additional violence.
The liberal opposition Democratic Occasion, which drove the legislative effort to question Yoon, mentioned his arrest could be a “cornerstone for restoring the collapsed constitutional order.” It additionally referred to as for stern punishment of the rioters.
The nation’s appearing chief, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, expressed “robust remorse” in regards to the riot, saying it “instantly undermines democracy and the rule of legislation.” He requested for heightened safety on the websites associated to Yoon’s case, additionally together with the Constitutional Courtroom, and measures to make sure order throughout protests.
After its investigators have been attacked by protesters in a while Saturday, the anti-corruption company requested media corporations to obscure the faces of its members attending the listening to.
Yoon insists his martial legislation decree was legit
Yoon and his legal professionals have claimed that the martial legislation declaration was meant as a brief and “peaceable” warning to the liberal opposition, which he accuses of obstructing his agenda with its legislative majority. Yoon says the troops despatched to the Nationwide Election Fee places of work have been to research election fraud allegations, which stay unsubstantiated in South Korea.
Yoon has careworn he had no intention of stopping the functioning of the legislature. He acknowledged that the troops have been despatched there to keep up order, not forestall lawmakers from coming into and voting to elevate martial legislation. He denied allegations that he ordered the arrests of key politicians and election officers.
Navy commanders, nonetheless, have described a deliberate try and seize the legislature that was thwarted by tons of of civilians and legislative workers who helped lawmakers enter the meeting, and by the troops’ reluctance or refusal to comply with Yoon’s orders.
If prosecutors indict Yoon on rebel and abuse of energy fees, that are the allegations now being examined by investigators, they may maintain him in custody for as much as six months earlier than trial.
If the primary court docket convicts him and points a jail time period, Yoon would serve that sentence because the case presumably strikes as much as the Seoul Excessive Courtroom and Supreme Courtroom. Underneath South Korean legislation, orchestrating a rebel is punishable by life imprisonment or the demise penalty.
