A South Korean court has decided to free President Yoon Suk Yeol from custody after his unprecedented arrest following his impeachment over a controversial martial law declaration, local broadcaster YTN reported Friday. Yoon had challenged his detention since being taken into custody in late January – a historic first for a sitting South Korean president.
Prosecutors later charged him with insurrection related to his martial law order issued in early December. The ongoing political turmoil has left South Korea in a precarious leadership vacuum as the country confronts mounting tensions with North Korea and potential economic challenges from new tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Throughout the legal battle, Yoon’s legal team has consistently argued that his arrest was procedurally flawed and therefore invalid. They claim the arrest warrant came from the wrong jurisdiction and that prosecutors missed the deadline for filing charges within the arrest warrant’s valid period.
Prosecutors have dismissed these arguments, maintaining they followed all proper legal protocols. This ruling comes as South Korea’s Constitutional Court separately deliberates whether to permanently remove Yoon from office through the impeachment process. After concluding its final hearing on February 25, the court is expected to announce its decision within the coming days or weeks.
