A South Korean court has approved a request for a detention warrant to be issued for arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol, the Seoul Western District Court has said. 

The approval on Sunday extends the period he can be held in custody as authorities investigate him on suspicion of insurrection related to his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3 last year.

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 the Seoul Detention Centre since his arrest.

Yoon appeared at the hearing to oppose investigators' request to extend his detention and to explain the legality of his brief martial law decree.

Earlier, over 44,000 people chanted pro-Yoon slogans and waved national and US flags as Yoon was brought to the Seoul Western District Court from a detention centre in Uiwang, just south of the capital, where he has been held since Wednesday night.

Protesters attempted to push past police officers and enter the court grounds, shouting, "Open the court entrance," and "I have to see the president's face."

Some broke down in tears, while others engaged in minor scuffles with law enforcement officers amid arrest and crowd-crush warnings.

Police arrested at least 41 people during the protest.

Source: TRT world 

BDST: 1108 HRS, JAN 19, 2025
MN