A court in Seoul has extended the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, citing concerns that he may destroy evidence linked to his failed attempt to impose martial law last month.
The court issued a warrant on Sunday allowing investigators to hold Yoon for an additional 20 days, including the four days he has already spent in custody since his arrest on Wednesday.
Recall that the 64-year-old leader is under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on charges of insurrection over the December 3 martial law order that plunged the nation into political chaos.
Yoon’s arrest followed weeks of tension between investigators and his presidential security team, who resisted an earlier attempt to detain him on January 3.
Pro-Yoon supporters have repeatedly rallied in his defense, with some violently disrupting legal proceedings.
On Sunday, after the court extended his detention, demonstrators broke into the courthouse, reportedly smashing windows and doors.
Police arrested dozens of protesters, an incident condemned by acting President Choi Sang-mok.
“Such violence is unimaginable in a democratic society,” Choi said, pledging to increase security for future court proceedings.
Yoon’s lawyer, Yun Gap-geun, told local media that the president would not cooperate with the CIO investigation.
Meanwhile, Yoon himself reportedly expressed “shock” at the courthouse violence and urged his supporters to remain peaceful.
The martial law declaration, which Yoon justified as a response to alleged “anti-state forces” in parliament and external threats from North Korea, has divided public opinion.
Critics argue it was an extreme reaction to political opposition and a ploy to consolidate power amid a scandal involving the First Lady and Yoon’s declining popularity.
Yoon’s impeachment, approved by parliament, is pending confirmation by South Korea’s Constitutional Court.
If upheld, he will be permanently removed from office. The fallout has left the country in turmoil, with protests from both supporters and opponents of Yoon continuing to rock the streets.
The political crisis intensified after parliament also impeached acting President Han Duck-soo for allegedly obstructing Yoon’s impeachment process, paving the way for Choi Sang-mok to assume temporary leadership.
With the extension of Yoon’s detention, investigators now have until February to decide whether to proceed with charges.
