S. Korea: Court rejects petition challenging Yoon's detention over martial law probe

A Seoul court on Thursday rejected a petition challenging impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention in the ongoing investigation into his botched martial law bid, keeping him in custody a day after he was detained for questioning, Yonhap reports. 

South Korea
Photo: Yonhap

The decision by the Seoul Central District Court came a day after Yoon's legal representatives filed a petition seeking a review of the legality of Yoon's detention.

The previous day, investigators detained Yoon for questioning over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration after he ignored three summonses to appear for questioning in the investigation.

Thursday's court decision marks a rejection of claims from Yoon's side that the detention warrant against him, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, was invalid.

Yoon had repeatedly argued that the case should have been handled by the Seoul Central District Court instead, as his lawyers claimed prosecutors would eventually bring the case there.

Yoon's side had also disputed the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)'s investigation of him on insurrection charges, arguing that the office has no jurisdiction over such cases involving a president.

The CIO has refuted Yoon's claims, arguing that the court issuance of two detention warrants effectively affirmed its jurisdiction over the case.

While the court review was in progress, Yoon's 48-hour detention period had been put on hold since about 2 p.m. when investigators submitted documents, including evidence, to the court. The detention period will remain on hold until the court returns the documents to the investigators.

Yoon did not attend the court's closed-door hearing, held as part of the review, citing security issues. Instead, his lawyers appeared on his behalf.

As previously stated, investigators detained Yoon over martial law declaration on January 15.

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