South Korea’s ousted former president Yoon Suk Yeol was taken back into custody Thursday as prosecutors intensified their investigation into his alleged insurrection and abuse of power, including his controversial declaration of martial law last December.
The Seoul Central District Court approved his detention over fears he could tamper with evidence, marking the second time Yoon has been held since his impeachment in April. The 64-year-old is now confined to a solitary cell with basic amenities as a sweltering heatwave grips the country.
Yoon sparked a constitutional crisis on December 3 when he deployed armed troops to parliament in a failed attempt to block lawmakers from rejecting his martial law decree. His unprecedented move—justified as a crackdown on “pro-North Korean forces”—led to his impeachment and criminal charges, including insurrection and document falsification.
After evading arrest for weeks using presidential security details, Yoon was first detained in January but released in March on procedural grounds. Since then, he has repeatedly snubbed prosecutors’ summonses, prompting the court to issue a fresh warrant.
During a marathon hearing Wednesday, Yoon denied all charges, claiming he was being politically persecuted. “The special counsel is now targeting even my lawyers,” he said, according to local media. “I may soon have to fight this alone.”
Prosecutors allege Yoon orchestrated unauthorized drone flights to Pyongyang to fabricate a national security threat and justify his power grab. The Constitutional Court, in its unanimous April ruling, condemned his actions as a “betrayal of democracy.”
With his legal team shrinking and public support eroded, Yoon faces up to six months in detention as prosecutors prepare formal indictments. Current President Lee Jae Myung has greenlit expansive probes into Yoon’s administration, signaling a sweeping reckoning for South Korea’s most divisive leader in decades.
As the nation watches the historic case unfold, the detention underscores the fragility of democratic norms—and the consequences for leaders who breach them.