South Korean Court Approves New Arrest of Former President Yoon Over Martial Law Decree

Yoon Suk Yeol will initially be incarcerated for up to 20 days, but this could mark a period of prolonged incarceration that could last months or even longer.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (C) arrives at a court to attend a hearing to review his arrest warrant requested by special prosecutors in Seoul, South Korea, on July 9, 2025. Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP

The Seoul Central District Court on July 10 approved the arrest of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges related to his brief martial law decree in December 2024.

The decision followed a seven-hour hearing on June 9. Special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk argued that the president posed a risk of destroying evidence—a claim that the court ultimately accepted, resulting in the decision to detain Yoon.