Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been released from detention after a court ruled his arrest was unlawful.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled on Friday that prosecutors had failed to indict Yoon within the required timeframe, rendering his detention invalid.
“It is reasonable to conclude that the indictment was filed after the defendant’s detention period had expired,” the court stated, adding that the decision aimed to uphold legal clarity and procedural fairness.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, threw South Korea into political chaos in December when he briefly suspended civilian rule and deployed soldiers into parliament. Lawmakers quickly overturned his martial law declaration and voted to impeach him.
The 64-year-old had resisted arrest for two weeks, leading to a tense standoff between his security detail and investigators before he was finally taken into custody on January 15.
Although now released, Yoon still faces an impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether his removal from office is permanent.
