Court in South Korea extends president’s detention due to concerns that he will ‘destroy evidence’

A South Korean court on Sunday granted an extension to impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention, saying there were “concerns” that Yoon could “destroy evidence” in a criminal investigation related to his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December.

Last Wednesday, Yoon became the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. Investigators probing Yoon for alleged rebellion asked a Seoul court on Friday to extend his detention after he refused to be questioned.

The Seoul Western District Court said it had approved a detention order requested by the Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO).

The reason for the approval was “concern that the suspect could destroy evidence,” the court said in a statement.

Under the new order, Yoon can be detained for up to 20 days. He was imprisoned in a detention center in Seoul.

So far, Yoon has thwarted the CIO’s efforts to question him, refusing to attend the interrogation. It is unclear whether he will cooperate with investigators during his extended detention.