'Leader of Rebellion Charges' President Yoon Released... Court Approves Request to Cancel Detention

Regarding the 12·3 Emergency Martial Law incident, President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was indicted on charges of being the 'ringleader of the rebellion,' will face a criminal trial while being released.

On the afternoon of the 20th, at the Grand Bench of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, during the 10th impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol, President Yoon is sitting with a stern expression.
February 20, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps

On the 7th, the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Ji Gui-yeon) accepted President Yoon's request for cancellation of detention. President Yoon's side filed the request for cancellation of detention with the Seoul Central District Court on the 4th of last month, citing 'illegal detention.'

Earlier, the court held a hearing on the 20th of last month. President Yoon's side argued that the investigation and prosecution procedures by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) regarding the charge of rebellion were all conducted illegally, and that there was no risk of evidence destruction, thus advocating for President Yoon's release. They also pressured the court by claiming that since the detention period had expired before the indictment, the current detention was illegal arrest and illegal detention, and that the issue of illegal detention could become the court's responsibility.

In response, the prosecution countered that the detention and indictment were carried out within the legal period and proper procedures, and that the CIO's investigation into the rebellion charge was lawful. Regarding the risk of evidence destruction, they argued that since President Yoon is still in office, there is a possibility of attempts at coercion, and therefore the request for cancellation of detention should be dismissed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.