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Supporters of the suspended South Korean president stormed a Seoul courthouse early Sunday morning after a judge extended Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.
More than 40,000 people gathered outside Seoul’s Western District Court on Saturday evening to show their support for Yoon as investigators sought to extend his detention. He was arrested Wednesday for an unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law last month.
After a judge granted the extension around 3 a.m. local time, dozens of supporters broke through police barricades and stormed the building, according to South Korean police, smashing windows and doors. doors and setting off fire extinguishers at officers guarding the courthouse entrance.
Police reinforcements finally regained control of the building and arrested nearly 90 people, according to local media.
The clash is the latest chapter in a growing political crisis sparked by Yoon’s decision last month to send troops to the country’s National Assembly as he tried to prevent lawmakers from rejecting his attempt to impose a military regime to this East Asian country.
Yoon was suspended from office after the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion by a two-thirds majority last month. But he vowed to “fight to the end,” saying he is the victim of a conspiracy by left-wing and pro-North Korea forces.
Many of Yoon’s hardliners adopted the language of supporters of US President Donald Trump, waving American flags and holding signs in English with the words “Stop the Steal” – a reference to allegations of fraud during the 2020 US presidential election which preceded the storming. from the US Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.
Although his powers have been transferred to Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok as interim president, Yoon remains South Korea’s head of state as the country’s Constitutional Court deliberates whether to approve his dismissal or reinstate him in his functions.
Yoon was arrested and detained Wednesday after an hours-long standoff at his hilltop compound between his security detail and investigators from South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Bureau.
The president’s legal team has repeatedly argued that the IOC does not have standing to investigate the insurrection charges and that the Seoul Western District Court does not have jurisdiction in the matter. Both allegations were rejected by South Korean judges.
According to the IOC, Yoon has refused to cooperate with investigators since his arrest on Wednesday. The extension of the warrant means he can be held for questioning for a further 20 days, during which time he is likely to be held in solitary confinement due to his status as head of state.
Seok Dong-hyeon, Yoon’s lawyer, wrote on Facebook on Sunday morning that he found the court’s decision “really difficult to understand.” But he called on the president’s supporters not to “go too far” because they could be “caught in targeted attacks or counterattacks by left-wing forces.”
