Hyonhee Shin
SEOUL (Reuters) – A South Korean court on Friday rejected a request by the prosecutor’s office to extend the detention of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol over a criminal investigation into his short-lived martial law declaration, Yonhap reported.
The Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO), which led the investigation, on Thursday transferred the case to the prosecutor’s office and requested that Yoon be charged with sedition and abuse of power.
Yoon, eased and suspended from power on December 14, has been jailed since last week while investigators probe his attempt to impose martial law – a move that shocked the nation even though Parliament overturned it within hours.
The CIO said Yoon’s detention should end around January 28, and they expect prosecutors to ask the court to extend it for another 10 days before formally indicting the president.
But the Seoul District Court rejected the prosecutor’s office’s request, saying there was “no substantial reason” why prosecutors would continue the investigation after securing evidence from the CIO, Yonhap news agency said.
The prosecutor’s office and the court were not available for comment.
Yoon’s lawyers have consistently said the CIO does not have the authority to handle his case because the law prescribes a broad list of high-ranking officials and violations it can investigate, but does not mention rebellion.
They also said any criminal investigation should be conducted after the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove Yoon from office in a separate trial on his impeachment.
Lawyers issued a statement Friday welcoming the court’s decision, saying the CIO probe was illegal and imploring prosecutors to reopen the investigation.
