S.Korea's arrested president misses questioning for 'health concerns'
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Yoon has been non-cooperative since his impeachment, most recently missing his questioning session, citing health concerns.
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Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in Gwacheon, South Korea, on January 15, 2025. (AP)
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to attend the second day of questioning by investigators on Thursday.
South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over allegations of insurrection, marking the first arrest of a sitting president in the country.
Although Yoon coined the investigation unlawful, he ultimately complied with the decision to avoid "bloodshed".
Yoon is currently being held at the Seoul Detention Centre, with his lawyer attributing his absence to health issues.
Authorities have 48 hours to question President Yoon Suk Yeol before deciding whether to release him or request a warrant for up to 20 days of detention. Meanwhile, Yoon's non-cooperation coincides with the Constitutional Court's second hearing on his impeachment, which will determine whether he is permanently removed or reinstated.
The trial
During the opening arguments at the Constitutional Court, an opposition lawmaker from the Democratic Party denounced Yoon's December 3 insurrection, accusing him and a group of accomplices of seeking to incite chaos in the country by refusing to comply with his arrest warrant.
Jung Chung-rae, the head of the Parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said "This impeachment trial decides whether or not to bring someone like this back to the position of commander-in-chief in control of the military."
Responding to the committee chief, a member of Yoon's defense team said the impeachment was not made to defend the constitution, but for the opposition to "use the majority power of parliament to usurp the position of the president."
Yoon's attorney, Cho Dae-hyen, stated that the suspended president's choice to impose martial law was made with sincere intentions, as he believed the nation was facing an emergency. Another lawyer, Bae Jin-han, remarked humorously, "Some say 'you get impeached if you breathe' nowadays."
Court to review Yoon's arrest warrant
The suspended leader has so far refused to engage with investigators, despite them preparing a detailed 200-page questionnaire.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), overseeing the criminal inquiry, announced that Yoon would not attend a scheduled questioning session, citing health concerns as the reason, while his legal team argued that further questioning was unnecessary. Meanwhile, a small group of Yoon supporters protested outside the CIO office, labeling the president's arrest as unlawful.
Yoon's lawyers have challenged the arrest warrant, claiming it was issued by the wrong court and that the investigation team lacked proper authority, and requested another court to review the warrant's legality.
The CIO confirmed that Yoon's 48-hour arrest period is on hold while the review takes place. Yoon’s legal team has denied charges of insurrection, a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
It is noteworthy that the political turmoil has caused economic strain, particularly on the won currency. The central bank's governor emphasized that the key to the economy's future health is stabilizing the political situation, noting that restoring political normalcy is more crucial than adjusting interest rates.
