South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally arrested. news

A Seoul court granted the request for an arrest warrant, saying there were ‘concerns’ that Yoon might ‘destroy evidence’.

A South Korean court has approved the formal arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his decision to declare martial law last month.

The Seoul Western District Court on Sunday granted law enforcement’s request for an arrest warrant for Yoon after an hour of deliberations, saying there were “concerns” that Yoon might “destroy evidence.”

Last Wednesday, Yoon became the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. South Korean investigators investigating Yoon for alleged rebellion asked a Seoul court on Friday to extend his detention after he refused to be interrogated.

Yoon and his lawyers appeared before a court judge during a hearing on Saturday and argued for his release. His arrest may mark the beginning of an extended period in custody for him, which will last for months or longer.

He faces possible rebellion charges related to his declaration of martial law on December 3, which sparked the country’s worst political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with the police and military, can now extend his detention by 20 days, during which they will transfer the case to public prosecutors for indictment.

Yoon’s lawyers may also file a petition to challenge the court’s arrest warrant.