Ousted South Korean president rearrested over failed Martial Law plot

South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been rearrested over his controversial attempt to impose martial law. This failed move triggered national unrest and led to his impeachment earlier this year.

A senior judge at the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday, citing concerns that Yoon could interfere with ongoing investigations or tamper with evidence. The former leader, now awaiting trial, faces multiple charges including leading an insurrection—a crime that carries the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

Yoon was impeached in April after evidence emerged that he had unlawfully declared six hours of military rule in December. During a tense seven-hour court session, a special counsel team presented five key charges, including claims that Yoon violated the rights of cabinet members by excluding some from a crucial meeting prior to the martial law order.

Prosecutors also alleged that Yoon ordered military drones to be flown over North Korea in an attempt to provoke a reaction that would justify his extreme measures.

This marks Yoon’s second arrest this year. He was first detained in January after a dramatic standoff that ended with investigators storming his residence in central Seoul. That arrest was overturned on a legal technicality in March, but the investigation pressed on.

The political fallout has extended beyond Yoon, with several top officials from his administration also facing serious charges, including insurrection and abuse of authority.

Yoon’s successor, President Lee Jae-myung, elected in June through a snap election, has pledged to safeguard South Korea’s democratic institutions. One of his first acts in office was to appoint a special counsel to thoroughly investigate the martial law episode and related misconduct within the previous administration.