The political crisis in South Korea deepened further after the investigators declared that the court had issued an arrest warrant against their impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, against the charges of insurrection and abuse of power.
In a statement, the court mentioned, “The arrest warrant and search warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, requested by the Joint Investigation Headquarters, were issued this morning. It further added, no schedule has been set for future proceedings.”
However, the court issued the arrest warrant within 33 hours after the request was filed, making it one of the longest times in South Korea’s history for a warrant hearing. According to the various media outlets, there was extensive deliberation on the matter.
Yoon, on December 3rd, declared martial law in a sudden televised address to eliminate certain anti-state elements. Moreover, he directed the Capital Defence Command Chief, Lee Jin-woo, to authorise military forces to use lethal force if necessary to secure entry to the National Assembly. However, the lawmakers challenged the decision and voted to overrule the martial law within minutes.
But this is not it; the conservative leader, Yoon, may be charged with even more severe criminal offences. According to investigators, the president is also liable for insurrection, which could lead him to the death penalty or life imprisonment.
In the meantime, the finance minister of the country, Choi Sang-mok, is acting as the President of the country who started his tenure under the tragic plane crash that resulted in 179 casualties.
