Who is Yoon Suk Yeol? First sitting South Korean president to be arrested
Yoon threw his country into political turmoil by briefly declaring martial law last month
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Yoon Suk Yeol has become South Koreaâs first incumbent president to be arrested after he was charged with insurrection for declaring martial law last month and thrusting the country into political turmoil.
Mr Yoon, 64, was arrested on 15 January and taken to the Corruption Investigation Office for questioning.
The president was impeached by the National Assembly over his shortlived martial law declaration on 3 December and suspended from office.
Appearing defiant in a video message recorded for his supporters before he was taken in for questioning, Mr Yoon said he had decided to comply with the arrest warrant but that the ârule of law has completely collapsed in this countryâ.
âWhen I saw them break into the security area using firefighting equipment today, I decided to respond to the CIOâs investigation â despite it being an illegal investigation â to prevent unsavoury bloodshed,â he said in a statement.
Insurrection is one of the rare offences for which South Korean presidents are not granted immunity. The offence carries severe penalties that may include life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally against his impeachment in Seoul, South Korea (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)The arrest came a day after the Constitutional Court began proceedings to rule on the validity of Mr Yoonâs impeachment by parliament. If the court clears the parliamentary action, Mr Mr Yoon would be removed from power and a presidential election would be held within 60 days.
If found guilty of insurrection, Mr Yoon could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with the death penalty a highly unlikely but potential outcome as well.
An embattled leader
Mr Yoon, who narrowly won the presidency in 2022, has been facing mounting unpopularity since taking office. Already weakened by a crushing parliamentary election defeat for his party earlier this year, his approval ratings had plummeted to 17 per cent before this weekâs events.
The chaos began when Mr Yoon justified his martial law declaration citing threats from North Korea and the need to eliminate âanti-state elementsâ.
But the move was widely interpreted as an attempt to consolidate power in the face of his domestic struggles. Within hours, lawmakers, some from his own People Power Party, rushed to the National Assembly to block the order, while thousands of protesters took to the streets in Seoul.
South Korean impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at the complex building housing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon after arrest (KOREA POOL/AFP via Getty Images)By the time Mr Yoon withdrew the decree, the protesters outside the National Assembly were cheering, but the damage to his presidency appeared irreversible.
Mr Yoonâs declaration of martial law was a âlegal overreach and a political miscalculationâ, Prof Leif-Eric Easley of Ewha Womans University in Seoul told BBC News.
âHe sounded like a politician under siege, making a desperate move against mounting scandals, institutional obstruction, and calls for impeachment.â
A woman reacts among police officers during a protest outside the National Assembly after president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law (Reuters )A presidency marred by controversy
Mr Yoonâs presidency has been turbulent from the start. Mr Yoon was a prosecutor before entering politics and gained national prominence for spearheading the corruption case against former president Park Geun-hye. His lack of political experience was evident after he narrowly defeated liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung in 2022.
While Mr Yoonâs campaign resonated with younger male voters due to its anti-feminism rhetoric, public hopes for âprinciple, transparency, and efficiencyâ under his leadership were soon dashed, Prof Don S Lee from Sungkyunkwan University told the British broadcaster.
A man looks at a newspaper report about South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeolâs martial law declaration (EPA)Mr Yoonâs tenure has been plagued by scandals, many centring on his wife, Kim Keon Hee, who has faced allegations of accepting a luxury Dior handbag and stock manipulation. In November, Mr Yoon apologised for her actions but rejected demands for a formal investigation.
Meanwhile, his frequent gaffes â he was caught on a hot mic apparently insulting US lawmakers and praising former dictator Chun Doo-hwan â further eroded his credibility.
Chun led tanks and troops into Seoul in December 1979 in the countryâs second coup after dictator Park Chung-heeâs death. The next year, he orchestrated a military crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, killing at least 200 people.
However, Mr Yoon praised him for being âgood at politicsâ.
Protesters clash with police officers during a demonstration calling for the resignation and impeachment of South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol ( EPA)Strained relations at home and abroad
Domestically, Mr Yoon has struggled to navigate a parliament controlled by the opposition Democratic Party, which won a decisive majority in Aprilâs election. Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly blocked his legislative agenda, forcing him to veto bills at an unprecedented rate. Last week, they slashed the governmentâs proposed budget, leaving Mr Yoon with little room for manoeuvre.
Amidst these political setbacks, Mr Yoonâs approval ratings have remained dismal, with growing calls for impeachment. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has called Tuesdayâs martial law declaration a âdecisive opportunity to break the vicious cycle and return to normal societyâ.
Internationally, Mr Yoonâs presidency has been a mixed bag. While he has strengthened ties with allies like the US and Japan and provided aid to Ukraine, his hardline stance on North Korea has escalated tensions with Pyongyang.
Critics also accuse him of jeopardising relations with China, South Koreaâs largest trading partner.
Protesters demonstrate against the countryâs president at the National Assembly on 4 December 2024 in Seoul (Getty )Whatâs next for Yoon Suk Yeol?
A Seoul court on 29 December issued an arrest warrant sought by prosecutors investigating whether the presidentâs short-lived declaration of martial law amounted to insurrection.
The warrant, valid until 6 January, was approved after Mr Yoon ignored multiple summons to answer charges of insurrection and abuse of power, accusations that his lawyers called âunlawfulâ.
But an attempt to arrest Mr Yoon was blocked by his security services, with the Corruption Investigation Office saying the âexecution of the arrest warrant was virtually impossible due to the continued standoffâ.
Protesters attend a rally demanding the arrest of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )The warrant was extended again on 7 January and the investigators detained him on 15 January after a three-hour standoff with his security guards.
The anti-corruption agency has 48 hours to conduct an investigation. Afterwards, it can either release him or seek a warrant for his formal arrest.
The parliament impeached Mr Yoon on 14 December, concluding that his declaration of martial law violated the constitution. He is suspended from his presidential duties and is awaiting the Constitution Courtâs decision on whether he will be removed from office.
Mr Yoonâs latest political gamble has drawn widespread condemnation. His senior aides offered to resign en masse, while opposition lawmakers moved forward with impeachment proceedings. Even leaders within his own party have called for his removal.
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