South Korea authorities seek arrest of Yoon over martial law declaration | Politics News

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The Joint Investigation Unit is seeking an arrest warrant for the suspended president for short-term imposition of a state of emergency.

South Korean authorities have requested an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol over his short-lived declaration of martial law.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Investigation said Monday it sought Yoon’s arrest on charges of sedition and abuse of power after the impeached leader ignored three summonses to appear for questioning.

After the request, the court will decide whether to issue an order.

Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law on December 3 stunned South Korea, plunging the East Asian country into its biggest political crisis in decades.

Yoon, who was the top state prosecutor before entering politics, has been suspended from his duties since December 14, when the National Assembly voted for his impeachment by a vote of 204-85.

Korea’s Constitutional Court is deciding whether to uphold the impeachment request and remove Yoon from office, a process that could take up to six months.

In its first preliminary hearing on Friday, the court rejected a request by Yoon’s lawyers to delay the proceedings to allow the South Korean leader to better prepare his case.