A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol over his attempt to impose martial law on December 3.
The warrant follows Yoon’s failure to comply with three summonses to appear for questioning over the past two weeks, as he is being investigated for abuse of power and inciting insurrection.
Yoon’s legal team has described the warrant as “illegal and invalid” and announced plans to challenge it in court.
Since the brief declaration of martial law, South Korea has been embroiled in a political crisis, with both Yoon and his successor being impeached by the opposition-controlled parliament.
Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to face potential arrest.
Investigators have until January 6 to execute the warrant, which was approved by a court in Seoul, but they may request an extension.
However, it is uncertain whether they will be able to carry out the arrest, as Yoon’s security team and protesters may obstruct their efforts.
Previously, South Korean authorities have been unable to arrest prominent politicians when their aides and supporters physically blocked police actions.
On Monday, Yoon’s legal team argued that the investigators had no authority to arrest him, asserting that declaring martial law fell within the president’s constitutional powers.
Yoon had earlier defended his decision to impose martial law, vowing to “fight to the end” while also stating he would not evade his legal and political responsibilities.
Yoon Suk Yeol’s lawyer, Yun Gap-geun, explained that Yoon’s failure to comply with the previous three summonses was due to “legitimate concerns.”
Yoon’s whereabouts remain unknown, although he has been banned from leaving South Korea.
Although suspended from his presidential duties since December 14 after lawmakers voted to impeach him, Yoon can only be removed from office if his impeachment is upheld by the country’s Constitutional Court.
Currently, there are only six judges on the Constitutional Court’s nine-member bench, meaning that a single vote against impeachment would allow Yoon to remain in office.
Opposition lawmakers had hoped that nominating three additional judges would increase the chances of Yoon’s impeachment, but their proposal was vetoed by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo last week. In response, the opposition has voted to impeach Han, who had assumed the role of acting leader following Yoon’s suspension.
The opposition is now threatening to take similar action against Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is currently serving as both acting president and acting prime minister.
On Tuesday, Choi appointed two new judges but stated that appointing a third would require consensus between the opposition and governing parties.