South Korea court rejects arrest warrant for ex-President Yoon, Yonhap says

SEOUL: A South Korean court has rejected a request to issue an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol related to a probe into his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, the Yonhap News Agency said on Wednesday, citing a special prosecutor.

A spokesperson for the Seoul Central District Court and the prosecution office could not immediately be reached for comment.

South Korea’s special prosecutor had asked the court on Tuesday to issue an arrest warrant for Yoon as an investigation intensified over the ousted leader’s botched bid to declare martial law in December.

Yoon, who is already facing a criminal trial on insurrection charges for issuing the martial law declaration, was arrested in January after resisting authorities trying to take him into custody, but was released after 52 days on technical grounds.

The new warrant was on a charge of obstruction, a senior member of the special prosecutor’s team of investigators said on Tuesday.