South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday, December 17, ordered deposed President Yoon Suk Yeol to appear by Saturday for questioning over his failed attempt to impose martial law, under penalty of a possible arrest warrant. , according to the national Yonhap agency. Suspended since this weekend with the adoption by deputies of a motion for dismissal against him, Mr. Yoon is the subject of two investigations for “rebellion”.
Late on December 3, he stunned the country by proclaiming martial law by surprise and sending the army to Parliament to muzzle him, before having to backpedal before dawn under pressure from the National Assembly and demonstrators.
The 63-year-old former star prosecutor risks – just like allies also involved in his coup – life imprisonment and even theoretically the death penalty if he is found guilty of “rebellion”. He is prohibited from leaving the territory.
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On Tuesday, the prosecution ordered Mr. Yoon to appear by Saturday for questioning, or risk being targeted with a possible arrest warrant if he did not comply, Yonhap reported, citing prosecutors who are conducting one of the two investigations. The suspended president has been postponing their summons since Sunday. His lawyers on Tuesday rejected the rebellion charges against him, while indicating that they will cooperate with investigations, Yonhap added. “Although we do not consider the accusations of rebellion to be legally valid, we will comply with the investigations”said Mr. Yoon's defense.
A team of investigators from the police, the anti-corruption agency and the defense ministry, which is leading the second investigation, attempted on Tuesday to search the premises of the presidential guard to obtain telephone records, according to Yonhap. She had requested the day before that Yoon Suk Yeol answer her questions on Wednesday, but this summons was rejected by the office of the deposed leader, an official told journalists. The identity of the person who objected to this refusal is “unknown”he added.
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Protests against Yoon continue
On the political level, the South Korean Constitutional Court launched, on Monday, the examination of the procedure for the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol. It must judge the validity of the motion voted on Saturday by the deputies, within six months. If the court confirms it, Mr. Yoon will be deposed and a presidential election must be held within two months. The winner would be invested the day after the result, without the usual transition period. During this period of up to eight months, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will act as interim minister.
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The court has set a preliminary hearing for December 27, which Mr. Yoon will not be required to attend, Lee Jean, a spokeswoman, told reporters on Monday. “This file will be considered high priority”she assured. The outcome is in little doubt according to most experts, as the violations of the Constitution and the law accused of Yoon Suk Yeol are blatant.
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Large anti-Yoon demonstrations have multiplied since his takeover, as have smaller rallies in his support, and protesters from both camps have affirmed that they will continue to pound the streets until the Court's ruling. On Monday evening, hundreds of South Koreans held a vigil in central Seoul, calling for the formal impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol.
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