Court Issues Arrest Warrant Citing "Concern About Destruction of Evidence"
Yoon to Be Held in Solitary Cell at Seoul Detention Center... Security Detail Suspended
Former President Yoon Seokyeol was re-arrested on July 10 by the special investigation team led by Cho Eunseok, which is investigating the insurrection case. This comes 123 days after he was first detained by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on charges of leading the insurrection, and then released following a court decision to cancel his detention. As a result, former President Yoon will be re-admitted to the Seoul Detention Center.
Former President Yoon Seokyeol, who is under special investigation related to the December 3 emergency martial law, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after the pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review) held on the 9th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
On the morning of the same day, Nam Sejin, the judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for former President Yoon at the request of the special investigation team for insurrection, on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights. Judge Nam explained the reason for issuing the warrant by stating, "There is concern about the destruction of evidence," after conducting a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review) that lasted 6 hours and 40 minutes, starting at 2:22 p.m. on July 9.
Former President Yoon appeared in court in person and pleaded not guilty, but was unable to avoid being detained for a second time.
Previously, on July 6, the special investigation team requested an arrest warrant for former President Yoon on five criminal charges: obstructing the authority of Cabinet members to review martial law, drafting and destroying a false post-facto martial law proclamation, issuing false press releases to foreign media, obstructing the execution of arrest warrants, and ordering the deletion of secure phone records.
As a result, the special investigation team, which was launched on June 12, succeeded in securing the custody of former President Yoon, who is at the center of the allegations, just six days after beginning its investigation. The special investigation team can detain former President Yoon for up to 20 days during its investigation.
After the pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review) ended on July 9, former President Yoon was transferred to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, where he waited in the detainee holding room. He is scheduled to be moved directly to the detention ward.
Former President Yoon will go through the same admission procedures as other detainees, including being assigned a detention number and having a "mugshot" taken for the detention record. After completing the admission process, he is expected to be held in a solitary cell measuring about 3 pyeong (approximately 10 square meters).
His meals will also be the same as those provided to ordinary detainees. The breakfast menu at the Seoul Detention Center on this day consisted of mini cheese bread, steamed potatoes, and mixed nuts.
With the issuance of the arrest warrant, the security detail provided by the Presidential Security Service to former President Yoon was immediately suspended. As his detention was executed and his custody was transferred to the correctional authorities, there was no longer a need to provide security or protection under the Former Presidents Act.
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