Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea’s former president, has been detained for a second time in connection with his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court authorized his arrest on Thursday, citing fears he could tamper with or destroy key evidence as his trial for insurrection continues.
Yoon, 64, was taken back to the Seoul Detention Center, where he previously spent 52 days earlier this year before being released on procedural grounds. He now faces renewed confinement in solitary conditions.
The case stems from Yoon’s controversial move on December 3, when he deployed armed military units to the National Assembly in an effort to block lawmakers from overturning his martial law declaration. The unprecedented act plunged the country into a deep political crisis and marked a significant challenge to South Korea’s democratic institutions.
Yoon made history as the first sitting president to be arrested, following a dramatic standoff that ended in a dawn raid by prosecutors in January 2025. For weeks, he had used his presidential security team to delay investigators from executing the warrant.
Although he was released in March due to legal technicalities, Thursday’s decision signals a significant shift as the court determined there is now substantial risk of obstruction.
Yoon’s re-arrest intensifies public scrutiny of his presidency and comes amid widespread calls for accountability and democratic safeguards in South Korea’s post-crisis political landscape.
