South Korea’s Yoon in court as investigators seek to extend detention
The hearing will decide whether to extend President Yoon’s detention as officials investigate his failed martial law bid
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol attended a court hearing on Saturday to fight a request by investigators to extend his detention on accusations of insurrection.
Yoon on Wednesday became the country’s first sitting president to be arrested, in a criminal investigation related to his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3.
Investigators requested a detention warrant on Friday to extend their custody of Yoon for up to 20 days. He has been refusing to talk to investigators and has been held in Seoul Detention Centre since his arrest.
After the hearing, Yoon returned to Seoul Detention Centre to await the court’s decision, which is expected on Saturday or Sunday.
The hearing at Seoul Western District Court lasted nearly five hours. Yoon spoke for about 40 minutes during the hearing, according to Yoon’s lawyer.
“[Yoon] sincerely explained and answered questions on factual relationships, evidence and legal principles … We will quietly wait for the court to decide,” said Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, after the hearing.
