South Korean Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Impeached President Over Martial Law Crisis

One might assume that political turmoil in South Korea would subside, at least temporarily for a week of mourning, following the tragic crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 on Sunday, which claimed the lives of all but two of the 181 people onboard. 

However, that is not the case, as Seoul Western District Court issued an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol following a request by the Joint Investigation Headquarters. The embattled South Korean leader refused to cooperate with investigators amid a criminal probe for insurrection allegations. 

“The arrest warrant and search warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, requested by the Joint Investigation Headquarters, were issued this morning,” the Joint Investigation Headquarters, which includes officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, wrote in a statement.

Bloomberg noted, “If the warrant is executed, Yoon would be the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to be arrested,” adding, “It’s unclear if investigators will manage to take the president into custody as a previous attempt to search the presidential office was blocked by Yoon’s team.” 

Yoon’s refusal to cooperate with the criminal investigation into his martial law order prompted the issuance of the arrest warrant, according to The Guardian, citing an official from the Corruption Investigation Office.

“The reason for the warrant is that there is a concern that the individual may refuse to comply with summons without justifiable reasons, and there is sufficient probable cause to suspect the commission of a crime,” the official continued.

Yonhap News said the arrest warrant is valid through January 6. Other South Korean media outlets have speculated that the odds of Yoon’s arrest are low. 

According to Park Sung-min, president of the Seoul-based political consulting firm MIN Consulting, the arrest warrant will likely pressure Yoon to cooperate with the criminal investigation. 

Yonhap cited the acting leader of South Korea’s ruling People Power party, Kweon Seong-dong, who said the arrest warrant and search warrant for the sitting president was inappropriate. 

Meanwhile, the constitutional court has six months to decide whether to confirm the impeachment or reinstate Yoon. 

Goldman analysts outlined the possible transition scenarios for Yoon: 

South Korea also faces protectionist policies from the incoming Trump administration while continuing to face nuclear threats from its northern neighbor. The crises are mounting for Asia’s fourth-biggest economy.