The News
South Korea issued an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, weeks after he declared martial law and plunged the country into political turmoil.
Prosecutors were on Tuesday granted the warrant, issued on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion, after Yoon refused to respond to at least three court summons, according to South Korea’s anti-corruption agency.
It marks the first time the country has sought to detain a current president.
The president’s attorney called the warrant “illegal and invalid” and vowed to challenge it in court.
Yoon was impeached and stripped of his powers on Dec. 14 following days of massive protests across South Korea. Less than two weeks later, lawmakers voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo for refusing to appoint judges to the Constitutional Court that will decide whether to formally remove Yoon from office.
South Korean deputy prime minister and finance minister Choi Sang-mok is now acting president.