By The Straits Times | Created at 2025-01-24 13:56:05 | Updated at 2025-01-24 20:26:50
6 hours ago
SEOUL - A South Korean court on Friday rejected the prosecutors' office request to extend the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over a criminal investigation into his short-lived martial law on Dec. 3, the Yonhap news agency reported.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Thursday requested the prosecutors' office to indict Yoon for insurrection and abuse of power.
Yoon, impeached and suspended from power on Dec. 14, has been incarcerated since last week while investigators probe his attempt to impose martial law - a move that shocked the nation even though it was overturned within hours by parliament.
The CIO has said Yoon's detention is due to end around Jan. 28, and they expect prosecutors to ask the court to extend it for another 10 days before they formally charge the president.
But the Seoul Central District Court rejected the request by the prosecutors' office.
The prosecutors' office and the court were not available for comment. REUTERS
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