A South Korean court on Friday overturned the arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, ordering his release after ruling that his detention was unlawful.
The Seoul Central District Court found that prosecutors had failed to indict Yoon within the required timeframe, making his continued detention legally questionable.
“To ensure procedural clarity and eliminate doubts regarding the legality of the investigative process, it would be appropriate to cancel the detention,” the court stated.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, plunged the nation into turmoil last December when he briefly suspended civilian rule and deployed soldiers to parliament in an attempted power grab. Lawmakers swiftly rejected his martial law declaration and impeached him.
The 64-year-old leader was charged with insurrection and resisted arrest for two weeks in a tense standoff before being taken into custody on January 15.
Despite his release, Yoon still faces an impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether he is permanently removed from office.