'Arrest Warrant Issued for Yoon Seok-yeol Over "Ultimatum Refusal"... Yoon's Side Calls It "Illegal and Invalid" (Comprehensive Report 2)'

If a Warrant Is Executed, Detention at Seoul Detention Center... Period Is January 6

The court has issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, who refused to comply with the third summons, the final ultimatum from the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOGO). HOGO announced on the 31st that the arrest warrant is valid until January 6 next year, and if executed, President Yoon will be detained at Seoul Detention Center. President Yoon's legal team strongly opposed the warrant, calling it an "illegal and invalid warrant."

A HOGO official told reporters on the same day, "If we secure the suspect, there must be a place to detain them, which is either HOGO or a police station near the place of arrest," adding, "The detention location will likely be Seoul Detention Center." The charge specified in the arrest warrant is "leader of a rebellion."

The official summarized the court's reason for issuing the warrant as "there is a concern that the suspect may refuse to comply with the summons without justifiable reason, and there is substantial (reasonable) suspicion that a crime has been committed." The warrant is valid until January 6, one week later. However, HOGO refrained from commenting on the timing of the warrant's execution, stating, "Nothing has been decided."

The joint investigation headquarters, composed of HOGO and the police, filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Western District Court yesterday on charges of rebellion leader and abuse of authority after President Yoon refused all summons. The court issued the warrant this morning.

This is the first time in constitutional history that an arrest warrant has been issued for a sitting president. If HOGO arrests President Yoon, they must decide whether to request a detention warrant within 48 hours. If a detention warrant is issued, detention can last up to 20 days before prosecution.

President Yoon is accused of attempting to block the National Assembly based on unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law and proclamation orders, and of inciting a riot with the purpose of undermining the constitutional order by mobilizing the military and police to arrest and detain key figures such as members of the National Assembly and election commission staff.

Meanwhile, President Yoon's side immediately protested. His legal team issued a statement saying, "The arrest and search warrants issued by an investigative agency without investigative authority are illegal and invalid as they violate the law."

President Yoon's legal team expressed regret, saying, "It is highly regrettable that the arrest warrant was requested at the Western District Court, not the Seoul Central District Court where the main trial is expected, which goes against principles and precedents," and added, "As a sitting president, it is difficult to accept that an arrest warrant was issued despite there being justifiable reasons for non-appearance, such as issues related to investigative authority."