South Korea’s ousted president Yoon Suk-yeol was released from custody on Saturday after a court overturned his arrest on procedural grounds. Yoon, detained on December 3 for sedition and attempting to overthrow civilian rule, left the detention center smiling and greeted supporters. In a statement, he expressed gratitude to the people.
The court canceled his arrest warrants a day earlier on technical and legal grounds, a decision prosecutors called “unfair.” Prosecutors chose not to appeal, focusing instead on presenting their case in court. Yoon still faces a Constitutional Court ruling on his impeachment, which could lead to his formal removal and trigger new elections within 60 days.
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Yoon’s lawyers argued his arrest was illegal due to delays in indictment, claiming his release signaled the restoration of the rule of law. AFP reporters saw Yoon return to the presidential residence, where he greeted supporters. The opposition criticized his release, with a Democratic Party spokesman accusing Yoon of acting like a victorious general despite facing coup charges and calling for his immediate removal.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, is accused of plunging South Korea into chaos by suspending civilian rule and deploying the military to parliament in December. He faces sedition charges for declaring martial law, which lawmakers rejected before impeaching him. After resisting arrest for two weeks, he was detained on January 15.
The impeachment hearing centers on whether Yoon violated the constitution by declaring martial law, reserved for national emergencies. The opposition claims he acted without justification, while Yoon’s lawyers argue he aimed to warn against an opposition-led “legislative dictatorship.” His release has heightened social tensions, increasing pressure on the Constitutional Court to act swiftly.
