South Korea investigators seek to extend President Yoon's detention

by Claire LEE

South Korean prosecutors asked a court Friday for a new arrest warrant for detained President Yoon Suk Yeol as he again refused questioning by investigators probing his failed martial law bid.

Yoon threw the nation into chaos on December 3 when he attempted to impose martial law, citing the need to combat threats from "anti-state elements".

His bid lasted just six hours, as the soldiers he directed to storm parliament failed to stop lawmakers from voting to reject the move.

In the following weeks Yoon was suspended and impeached by parliament, before holding out at his residence protected by an elite presidential guard unit which resisted attempts by investigators to arrest him.

Yoon was finally arrested in a dawn raid on Wednesday, but the warrant allowed investigators to hold him for just 48 hours.

They sought a new one Friday that will likely extend his detention by 20 days if approved, giving prosecutors time to formalise an indictment.

A spokesperson for the Seoul Western District Court where the request was filed told AFP a hearing to review the warrant's approval was scheduled for 2 pm local time (0500 GMT) Saturday.

In a statement shared by Yoon's lawyers with reporters Friday, the impeached leader said he was "doing well" in detention.

"I take this time to gather my thoughts," Yoon said.

"I have heard that many citizens have come out into the cold to unite for our country. I am truly grateful for your passionate patriotism."

Experts predicted Yoon would try to polarise South Korean society from detention.

"Yoon Suk Yeol will likely reach out to his supporters while detained, including right-wing YouTubers, to rally behind him once again," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University.

"Instead of fostering stability, he continues to create anxiety among citizens."

- Refused to cooperate -

Yoon, however, has refused to cooperate with investigators or answer questions.

"He has sufficiently expressed his basic stance to the investigators on the first day," Yoon's lawyer Seok Dong-hyeon said Friday.

The lawyer said the impeached president had fully explained his position to investigators and had no reason to answer questions.

Yoon's supporters gathered Friday outside the Seoul court to protest against the investigators where they filed the new warrant.

A new poll published Friday suggested the approval rating of Yoon's People Power Party had improved despite his arrest.

Yoon is facing possible criminal charges of insurrection, which could see him jailed for life -- or executed -- if he is found guilty.

In a parallel probe, the Constitutional Court is deciding whether to uphold Yoon's impeachment.

If that happens, Yoon would lose the presidency and fresh elections would have to be held within 60 days.

A lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party on Friday described the final moments before Yoon's arrest, describing him as unfazed, even making sandwiches for his legal team.

"Yoon patted our backs to offer comfort," close ally Yoon Sang-hyun said in a YouTube interview.

When prosecutors arrived with the arrest warrant, one of Yoon's final requests was to visit his pet dog.

Yoon's arrest has also caused economic rumblings in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Consumer sentiment fell to its lowest since the Covid-19 pandemic, the South Korean won plunged against the dollar and the country's unemployment rate spiked to the highest since 2021.

Some experts have said if the Constitutional Court acts fast, the negative economic impacts are likely to be minimal.

© Agence France-Presse