Impeached President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison a day after the court had annulled his warrant of arrest. Yoon’s exit was caught on tape by local television with him waving and bowing very low in gratitude.
Despite his release, Yoon remains to face criminal and impeachment trials for his brief declaration of martial law on December 3. His lawyers claimed the court ruling highlighted the procedural and substantive deficiencies in his detention, which was the “start of a journey to restore rule of law.”
In a statement when he was released, Yoon, who remains suspended from duty, thanked the court for its “courage and determination in correcting the illegality” of his arrest. Yoon’s lawyers had argued that the arrest warrant against him was issued illegally, leading to Yoon’s initial arrest in January on charges of insurrection.
On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court approved Yoon’s request for release, citing the need to resolve legal matters concerning the investigations. Prosecutors had confirmed on early Saturday morning that they would not appeal the court’s decision. An emergency investigation unit instructed the Seoul Detention Center to release Yoon soon after.
Yoon’s brief martial law order has been categorized as probable insurrection, which entails severe punishment like the death penalty or life imprisonment in case he is convicted. A constitutional court is also to soon determine whether to reinstate or lawfully remove Yoon from the presidency.
On the same day, approximately 55,000 Yoon supporters marched in Seoul and some 32,500 protesters protested against him outside the Constitutional Court. According to a recent Gallup Korea poll, 60 percent of the respondents favored Yoon’s removal from office, indicating a wide-based public opposition.
