Court rejects detention warrant for ex-President Yoon; special counsel summons him for Sat.

A Seoul court on Wednesday dismissed a request to issue a detention warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in connection with his declaration of martial law last year, the special counsel said.

The Seoul Central District Court rejected the special counsel’s request, which was made on Tuesday as part of an investigation into Yoon’s alleged obstruction of official duties and other charges related to the declaration of martial law in December.

Upon the court decision, the special counsel team, led by Cho Eun-suk, immediately notified Yoon to appear at 9 a.m. Saturday, officials said, adding that it will consider seeking a formal detention warrant if Yoon fails to comply.

“The court dismissed the request on the grounds that Yoon has expressed his willingness to comply with the special counsel’s summons,” the team said.

“If he fails to appear, we will consider seeking a formal warrant,” it added.

Before the case was transferred to the special counsel, police had summoned Yoon for questioning on June 5, 12 and 19, but he ignored all three requests, which prompted the special counsel to seek the detention warrant, according to the officials.

The special counsel began operations last Wednesday, following the National Assembly’s passage of a bill in early June mandating an independent investigation into insurrection charges against Yoon.

Shortly after the announcement, Yoon’s legal team issued a statement, saying he will comply with the special counsel’s summons. However, they also criticized the investigators for alleged procedural violations and what they called an excessive request for an arrest warrant.

“Announcing the dismissal of the arrest warrant while unilaterally setting the summons date without prior coordination is a clumsy and inappropriate move, unbecoming of a special counsel,” the statement read.

“Nevertheless, Yoon will appear as requested this Saturday with confidence,” it added.

Yoon has been booked as a suspect on charges that he ordered the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to obstruct the execution of a detention warrant against him by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in early January.

He is also suspected of instructing the PSS to delete records from secure phones used by three military commanders shortly after his failed attempt to impose martial law.

Yoon’s lawyer has argued that Yoon defied the summonses because the detention warrant issued by the CIO was executed unlawfully.