A South Korean court on Sunday granted an extension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention, saying there were “concerns” that Yoon might “destroy evidence” in a criminal investigation related to his brief declaration of martial law in early December.
Last Wednesday, Yoon became the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. South Korean investigators probing Yoon for alleged insurrection asked a Seoul court on Friday to extend his detention after he refused to be questioned.
The Seoul Western District Court said it approved the arrest warrant requested by the Corruption Investigation Bureau for High-ranking Officials.
The reason for approval was “concern that the suspect may destroy evidence,” the court said in a statement.
According to the new warrant, Yoon can be detained for up to 20 days. He is being held at the Seoul Detention Center.
So far, Yoon has blocked efforts to interrogate him. It was unclear whether Yoon will cooperate with investigators during his prolonged detention.
