South Korean authorities extend arrest warrant for embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol

CNN —

South Korean authorities have granted a request to extend a warrant to detain the country’s suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his surprise declaration of martial law last month.

The warrant expired on Monday at midnight (10 a.m. ET) but was reissued on Tuesday afternoon local time by Seoul Western District Court at the request of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO).

The deadline for the warrant has not been disclosed. They are usually valid for seven days but can be granted for longer if the judge deems it necessary.

The CIO, which is working with police and the defense ministry to investigate Yoon, has also requested police execute the warrant for Yoon’s detention. Police have a larger force and more equipment to carry out his arrest than the anti-corruption agency.

Yoon, who was stripped of his presidential powers last month after his short-lived martial law order roiled the country, is wanted for questioning in multiple investigations, including over accusations of leading an insurrection – a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

The approval of the initial warrant, first issued on December 31, was the first time such action has been taken against a sitting president.

Police and anti-corruption investigators arrive at the residence of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on January 3, 2025.

Related article South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain president after dramatic standoff

Investigators attempted to take Yoon into custody on Friday but were forced to back off after an hours-long showdown at the presidential compound.

On Monday, protesters both in support of and against Yoon gathered near the presidential compound