Seoul, Jan 16 (IANS) A Seoul court is set to review the legality of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention at the request of his lawyers after investigators took him into custody over his short-lived imposition of martial law, judicial sources said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Yoon’s legal representatives filed for the review with the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after investigators detained him for questioning over his martial law declaration on December 3.
Investigators said Yoon’s detention period of 48 hours has been temporarily put on hold as the court holds a session of reviewing the legality of his detainment.
The court is scheduled to hold a session to review the legality of Yoon’s detention at 5 p.m. on Thursday, according to the sources.
It has 48 hours since receiving the request to make a decision by questioning the suspect and considering evidence presented by investigators. If it finds Yoon’s detention unlawful, he will be released from custody, Yonhap news agency reported.
Investigators, led by the state anti-corruption agency, questioned Yoon for 10 hours the previous day before he spent the night at a detention centre. They are set to resume questioning him at 2 p.m.
Earlier in the day, detained President Yoon Suk Yeol defied an order by investigators to appear for a second day of questioning over his short-lived imposition of martial law, the state anti-corruption agency said.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said Yoon’s lawyer notified the agency with 10 minutes to go that he would not attend the questioning scheduled for 2 p.m.
Yoon’s lawyer, Yun Gap-geun, told Yonhap News Agency earlier that the president had no plans to undergo any further questioning despite the CIO’s announcement that a session had been rescheduled from the morning to the afternoon at the request of the president.
“President Yoon is not well and fully explained his position yesterday so there is nothing more to be interrogated about,” Yun had said.
Yoon spent Wednesday night at a detention center following over 10 hours of questioning at the CIO office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. He was detained at his residence and brought there the same day.
Yoon faces charges of insurrection and abuse of power in connection with his declaration of martial law on December 3, allegations he denies.
He refused to answer any questions Wednesday, the CIO said.
Yoon’s lawyers have filed for a review of the legality of the warrant issued to detain him, and the review will be carried out by the Seoul Central District Court at 5 p.m.
–IANS
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