A South Korean court on Friday canceled the arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, allowing his release.
The decision came after the suspended president’s lawyers filed a request last month to cancel his arrest, arguing that his detention was unlawful because the prosecution waited too long to indict him.
In its ruling, the Seoul Central District Court stated, “It is reasonable to conclude that the indictment was filed after the defendant’s detention period had expired.” The court added, “To ensure procedural clarity and eliminate any doubts regarding the legality of the investigative process, it would be appropriate to issue a decision to cancel the detention.”
Yoon, a former prosecutor, had plunged democratic South Korea into turmoil in December by briefly suspending civilian rule and deploying soldiers into parliament. He has been charged with insurrection for his martial law declaration, which lawmakers voted down within hours before proceeding to impeach him.
The 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks in a tense standoff between his security team and investigators at his official residence in Seoul. He was finally taken into custody on January 15. Yoon now faces an impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether his removal from office is upheld.
