South Korea's Yoon shuns questioning, as supporters face charges over court rampage

Security beefed up at Mr. Yoon's prison and court after mob rampage, Mr. Yoon supporters face arrest, acting president orders action.

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol refused to be questioned by investigators on Monday (January 20, 2025) under a probe into whether he committed insurrection, as dozens of his supporters faced being charged over a violent rampage on a court building.

Authorities said security was being beefed up at the Seoul Detention Centre where Mr. Yoon is being held as a pre-trial inmate and at the Constitutional Court which is holding an impeachment trial to decide whether to permanently remove him from office.

Mr. Yoon planned to attend future impeachment trial hearings, including one on Tuesday, one of his lawyers, Mr. Yoon Kab-keun said.

Mr. Yoon became the first incumbent South Korean president to be arrested last week over his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3.

“Investigators on Monday (January 20, 2025) visited the detention centre to bring him in for questioning “with force”, but ceased such an attempt at around 9 p.m. after Mr. Yoon repeatedly refused to comply with the probe,” the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said in a statement.

The CIO, which is leading the criminal probe, said it would take legal steps including enforcing the summons again.

On Sunday (January 19, 2025), Mr. Yoon was formally processed for detention, including having his mugshot taken, after a court approved a warrant, citing concern the suspect could destroy evidence.