Former South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol has been detained once again over allegations related to his attempt to impose martial law in December last year.
Authorities say Yoon tried to use armed soldiers to block lawmakers from rejecting his controversial declaration, plunging the country into a political crisis.
Yoon, who had already been impeached and removed from office in April 2025, was first arrested in January after resisting law enforcement for weeks using his presidential security team.
However, he was released in March on procedural grounds while his trial on charges of insurrection continued.
His second arrest came after prosecutors accused him of refusing to cooperate with the investigation, ignoring repeated summons and posing a risk of destroying evidence.
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On Thursday, a Seoul court approved the new arrest warrant, and Yoon, 64, was moved to a solitary cell with no air-conditioning, just a fan, amid a severe heatwave.
Officials say he is receiving standard meals and will be treated like any other suspect despite his former position.
Yoon’s legal team argues that the detention is unnecessary, claiming he no longer holds any power.
However, investigators insist that he could still tamper with evidence.
He now faces further questioning and could be detained for up to 20 days while prosecutors prepare a formal indictment that may include additional charges.
Once indicted, he could remain in custody for up to six more months.
During his arrest hearing, which lasted about seven hours on Wednesday, Yoon denied all charges and claimed that even his lawyers were being pressured, leaving him to fight “alone.”
He also faces allegations of falsifying official documents and allegedly approving drone surveillance of North Korea to justify martial law.
South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, who won the June snap election, has backed sweeping investigations into Yoon’s administration and personal conduct.
The Constitutional Court previously ruled Yoon’s actions a betrayal of public trust and a violation of democratic principles.
