South Korea Probe Team Seeks Arrest Warrant For Ex-President Over Martial Law

Investigators probing South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law said Monday they sought an arrest warrant for the suspended president after he failed to report for questioning.

"The Joint Investigation Headquarters filed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol with the Seoul Western District Court", said the probe team in a statement.

The application by investigators marks the first attempt to forcibly detain a sitting president in the country's constitutional history.

Yoon was stripped of his presidential duties by parliament over his short-lived martial law declaration this month. A constitutional court ruling is pending on whether to confirm the impeachment.

Yoon's dramatic action plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades. 

The turmoil deepened last week when his replacement, Han Duck-soo, was also impeached by parliament for failing to sign through bills for investigations into Yoon.

A former prosecutor himself, Yoon had been summoned three times for questioning, but refused to present himself each time -- including by yesterday's deadline.

The conservative leader faces criminal charges of insurrection, which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

He is being investigated by prosecutors as well as a joint team comprising police, defence ministry, and anti-corruption officials. 

A 10-page prosecutors' report seen by AFP stated that Yoon authorised the military to fire their weapons if needed to enter parliament during his failed martial law bid.

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