South Korea Issues New Arrest Warrant for Yoon

Seoul judges have approved a new arrest warrant for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. On December 3, 2024, Yoon imposed martial law that lasted several hours, plunging South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

As early as December 31, 2024, a general warrant was issued for Yoon and a search warrant for his residence. The president had earlier failed to show up for questioning, and police were subsequently unable to arrest him: first, his residence was surrounded by a crowd of demonstrators supporting the conservative party. Upon entering Yoon’s home, about 80 police officers found 200 soldiers and agents of the presidential security service and backtracked after a confrontation that was described as particularly tense and lasted 5 or 6 hours.

Thus, the first seven-day arrest warrant has expired, and a second one has now been issued. Yoon will remain at his residence in Seoul and does not intend to answer judges about the events of December 3. Meanwhile, the country is being shaken by demonstrations by conservatives on one side and Democrats on the other.