South Korean Court Evaluates Yoon's Detention Legality
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On January 16, a court in Seoul began reviewing the legality of the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, prompted by a petition from his legal team after he was arrested for his brief martial law declaration.
Key Takeaways
- Seoul court reviews Yoon's detention legality.
- Yoon's legal team filed a petition.
- Court has 48 hours to decide.
- Yoon's detention is temporarily suspended.
- CIO disputes Yoon's claims of jurisdiction.
Seoul, Jan 16 (NationPress) A court in Seoul commenced proceedings on Thursday to assess the legality of the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at the behest of his legal team after he was taken into custody by investigators regarding his brief declaration of martial law, according to judicial sources.
This review followed a petition filed by Yoon's lawyers with the Seoul Central District Court after he was detained for inquiries concerning his martial law declaration on December 3.
The court is mandated to reach a verdict within 48 hours of receiving this review request, evaluating the documents submitted by investigators and conducting questioning. Should the court determine that Yoon's detention is unlawful, he will be released.
A decision on whether to approve or reject Yoon's petition is anticipated as early as late Thursday.
During the review process, Yoon's 48-hour detention has been temporarily suspended since around 2 p.m. when investigators presented documents, including evidence, to the court. This suspension will persist until the court returns the documents to the investigators, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Yoon was absent from the court's private hearing, which is part of the review, citing security concerns. Instead, three of his attorneys represented him.
Yoon's team has challenged the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) regarding the insurrection charges, claiming that the office lacks jurisdiction over matters involving a president.
Furthermore, Yoon's defense contends that the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court is invalid, asserting that the matter should have been addressed by the Seoul Central District Court.
The CIO has countered Yoon's assertions, asserting that the issuance of two detention warrants by the court confirms its jurisdiction over the case.
