South Korea investigators seek to extend President Yoon’s detention
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Mr Yoon threw the nation into chaos on Dec 3 when he attempted to impose martial law.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL - South Korean prosecutors asked a court on Jan 17 for a new arrest warrant for detained President Yoon Suk Yeol as he again refused questioning by investigators
Mr Yoon threw the nation into chaos on Dec 3 when he attempted to impose martial law
His bid lasted just six hours, as the soldiers he directed to storm parliament failed to stop lawmakers from voting to reject the move.
In the following weeks, he was suspended and impeached by Parliament, before holding out at his residence protected by an elite presidential guard unit which resisted attempts by investigators to arrest him.
He was finally arrested in a dawn raid on Jan 15, but the warrant allowed investigators to hold him for just 48 hours.
They sought a new one on Jan 17 that will likely extend his detention by 20 days if approved, giving prosecutors time to formalise an indictment.
Mr Yoon, however, has refused to cooperate with investigators or answer questions.
“He has sufficiently expressed his basic stance to the investigators on the first day,” Mr Yoon’s lawyer Seok Dong-hyeon said on Jan 17.
The lawyer said the impeached president had fully explained his position to investigators and had no reason to answer questions.
Mr Yoon’s supporters gathered on Jan 17 outside the Seoul court where investigators filed the new warrant, linking arms in an apparent attempt to block them, Yonhap news agency reported.
A new poll published on Jan 17 suggested the approval rating of Mr Yoon’s People Power Party had improved despite his arrest.
Mr Yoon is facing possible criminal charges of insurrection, which could see him jailed for life – or executed – if he is found guilty.
In a parallel probe, the Constitutional Court is deciding whether to uphold his impeachment.
If that happens, Mr Yoon would lose the presidency and fresh elections would have to be held within 60 days.
A lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party on Friday described the final moments before Mr Yoon’s arrest, describing him as unfazed, even making sandwiches for his legal team.
“Mr Yoon patted our backs to offer comfort,” close ally Yoon Sang-hyun said in a YouTube interview.
When prosecutors arrived with the arrest warrant, one of Mr Yoon’s final requests was to visit his pet dog. AFP
