SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean prosecutors have pledged to continue pursuing the conviction of President Yoon Suk Yeol for insurrection, despite a recent court decision ordering his release from prison.
Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung expressed respect for the court’s ruling but disagreed with its assessment that the indictment filing exceeded the legally allowed expiry time, rendering Yoon’s detention during the trial illegal.
“We’ve directed that the prosecution make arguments on various disputes during trial, and we’ll do everything we can to pursue this indictment,” Shim told reporters when asked about the possibility of dropping the case.
President Yoon has been on trial since February 20 over allegations that he led an insurrection by declaring martial law on December 3 last year. He lifted the martial law decree after approximately six hours.
Yoon’s lawyers filed a motion to cancel his detention, arguing that the case against him was politically motivated and lacked legal justification. The court’s decision on Friday to release him bolstered their claims.
The embattled leader walked out of a detention center on Saturday, nearly two months after his arrest. Despite his release, he remains suspended from power following his impeachment by parliament.
The Constitutional Court is expected to decide in the coming days whether to overturn the impeachment and reinstate him or remove him from office permanently. If Yoon is removed, South Korea will hold a new presidential election within 60 days.
The nation watches closely as the legal proceedings unfold, marking a critical moment for South Korea’s political landscape.
