South Korean court issues warrant to arrest impeached President Yoon

A South Korean court on Tuesday issued a warrant to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol over his imposition of martial law, the joint investigation unit said.

The investigation unit, consisting of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the National Office of Investigation and the Defense Ministry's investigation headquarters, said in a short notice that the issuance of arrest and search warrants against Yoon was confirmed earlier in the morning.

The unit added that no schedule was set for the execution of the warrants, which in normal cases are valid for one week from the date of issuance.

It is the first time in the country's modern history that an arrest warrant has been issued against a sitting president.

The joint investigation unit requested the warrants against Yoon to the Seoul Western District Court on insurrection and other charges the previous day.

The unit asked Yoon to appear for questioning three times on December 18, December 25 and December 29, but the impeached leader refused to receive summonses and submit documents for the appointment of his defense counsel.

Yoon's side submitted a written opinion and appointed defense counsel to the Seoul Court just hours after the request for issuance of the warrants.

Yoon was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on insurrection charges.

Yoon said in a televised address on December 12 that he will not avoid legal and political responsibility for his declaration of martial law on the night of December 3, a move which was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.

The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on December 14 and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's power is suspended.