Seoul: A Seoul court dismissed a request to issue a detention warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol related to his declaration of martial law last year, the special counsel announced. The Seoul Central District Court rejected the special counsel's request, which was made on Tuesday as part of an investigation into Yoon's alleged obstruction of official duties and other charges tied to the martial law declaration in December.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the special counsel team, led by Cho Eun-suk, immediately notified Yoon to appear at 9 a.m. on Saturday following the court's decision. Officials indicated that a formal detention warrant might be sought if Yoon does not comply. "The court dismissed the request on the grounds that Yoon has expressed his willingness to comply with the special counsel's summons," the team stated. They further added, "If he fails to appear, we will consider seeking a formal warrant."
Before the case transitioned to the special counsel, Yoon ignored police summonses on June 5, 12, and 19, prompting the special counsel to seek the detention warrant. The special counsel began its work last Wednesday after the National Assembly passed a bill in early June mandating an independent investigation into insurrection charges against Yoon. Following the announcement, Yoon's legal team stated his intent to comply with the special counsel's summons while criticizing the investigators for alleged procedural violations and the excessive request for an arrest warrant.
The legal team remarked, "Announcing the dismissal of the arrest warrant while unilaterally setting the summons date without prior coordination is a clumsy and inappropriate move, unbecoming of a special counsel." Nevertheless, they confirmed, "Yoon will appear as requested this Saturday with confidence."
Yoon faces charges that he ordered the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to obstruct the execution of a detention warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in early January. He is also suspected of instructing the PSS to delete records from secure phones used by three military commanders following his failed martial law attempt. Yoon's lawyer contends that Yoon defied the summonses due to the CIO's unlawful execution of the detention warrant.