Ex-President Yoon opposes arrest warrant, calls it illegal

Seoul

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has asked a Seoul court to reject a detention warrant request filed by special counsel Cho Eun-suk, calling the move unlawful and lacking procedural legitimacy.

Yoon’s lawyers submitted a written opinion to the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday, urging the court to recognize the “illegality” of the request. The court is expected to issue its decision soon.

The detention warrant, filed Tuesday, accuses Yoon of blocking his own arrest in January by ordering the Presidential Security Service to interfere with a warrant execution. He is also accused of deleting phone records with military leaders tied to an alleged martial law attempt on December 3, 2024.

Yoon has refused three police summonses, prompting investigators to seek a travel ban and now detention. However, his legal team strongly pushed back, claiming he was never properly summoned and had no contact or information about the special prosecutor's office or its officials.

They added, “The request is an unjustified and grave violation of Yoon’s rights to defence and due process.”

They further argued that since the independent counsel and police are separate agencies, it’s legally improper for the special counsel to cite police summonses as a basis for detention.

Meanwhile, special prosecutor Cho’s team has filed a travel ban request with the Justice Ministry, suspecting flight risk as they deepen their probe into insurrection charges. The case has sparked major political controversy, given Yoon’s fall from power and the allegations of attempted martial law.

A court ruling is expected soon and could mark a turning point in South Korea’s ongoing political reckoning.