The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has requested an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol, marking the first time in the nation’s constitutional history that such a measure has been sought against a sitting president. The request, filed on Jan. 17, comes 45 days after the president declared emergency martial law on Dec. 3 and two days following his detention.
At approximately 5:40 p.m., the CIO announced that it had submitted the arrest warrant request to the Seoul Western District Court. The charges against President Yoon include leading an insurrection and abuse of power. A CIO official stated, “Considering the gravity of the crimes and the risk of recidivism, we decided to request an arrest warrant.”
The warrant application spans over 150 pages and reportedly contains materials such as a questionnaire prepared for President Yoon’s interrogation by the National Police Agency’s special investigation unit, along with records of suspect interrogations involving five key figures in the martial law command. The prosecution’s special unit, led by Park Se-hyun, chief of the Seoul High Prosecutors Office, compiled the records, which pertain to President Yoon’s brief martial law declaration.
The court hearing for the arrest warrant is expected as early as tomorrow. Six to seven prosecutors from the CIO, including deputy chief prosecutors, are likely to attend. When asked whether Chief Prosecutors Lee Dae-hwan of Investigation Division 3 or Cha Jeong-hyun of Investigation Division 4 would represent the CIO, a spokesperson declined to comment, saying, “We cannot provide further details.” Chief Prosecutor Cha was previously present at a detention validity review held on Jan. 16 at the Seoul Central District Court.
President Yoon has been detained since Jan. 15 for questioning but has refused to comply with the CIO’s summons on both Jan. 16 and 17, preventing investigators from presenting all 200 pages of prepared questions. A CIO representative, however, asserted, “This does not significantly hinder the arrest warrant application,” emphasizing that the case had been thoroughly prepared using materials submitted by the police and prosecutors.
The Seoul Western District Court has already issued two arrest and search warrants for President Yoon in this case. The first was authorized by Senior Judge Lee Soon-hyung, and the second by Senior Judge Shin Han-mi, both of whom oversee warrant reviews on a rotating schedule. If the court proceeds with this week’s hearing, Judge Lee is expected to preside.
