South Korea’s Former President Yoon Arrested Again Over Martial Law Attempt
SEOUL, July 11, 2025 (Naqsh News) — South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk-yeol, was arrested for the second time on Thursday following a court-issued warrant linked to his failed bid to impose martial law in December last year.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the arrest, citing serious concerns that Yoon could tamper with or destroy key evidence. The 64-year-old former leader is now back in a solitary confinement cell at the Seoul Detention Center, where he previously spent 52 days earlier this year.
Yoon is currently on trial for insurrection after deploying armed military forces to the National Assembly on December 3, 2024, in an attempt to block lawmakers from rejecting his martial law declaration. The unprecedented move plunged the nation into a political crisis and led to his arrest during a dawn raid in January.
Although initially detained, Yoon was released in March due to procedural technicalities. However, his legal troubles mounted, and South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed him from office in April, triggering a snap election in June. The newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, later approved sweeping investigations into Yoon’s actions during and after his presidency.
The special counsel investigating Yoon’s administration recently questioned him about resisting arrest in January and allegedly authorizing drone flights to North Korea to justify his martial law decree.
Thursday’s arrest allows for a 20-day detention period ahead of formal indictment. Legal experts suggest Yoon could remain in custody for up to six months post-indictment.
“While immediate release is possible, the charges against Yoon are serious, and the court believes the risk of evidence destruction remains high,” said Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, in a statement to AFP.
At a hearing on Wednesday, Yoon’s lawyers opposed the detention request, arguing that the former president no longer holds power and poses no threat. Yoon himself stated during the seven-hour hearing, “The special counsel is now going after even my defence lawyers. I may soon have to fight this alone.”
Following the arrest, Yoon did not attend Thursday’s 10th hearing in his ongoing insurrection trial. His lawyers cited health concerns, submitting a formal notice of absence to the court. They were present at the session in his place, according to Yonhap News Agency.
If found guilty, Yoon Suk-yeol faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty, marking one of the most dramatic falls from power in South Korea’s political history.
— Reporting by Naqsh News and other Agencies
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