South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was re-arrested on Thursday over his failed attempt to impose martial law last year and will not attend his upcoming trial hearing, according to state media.
The Yonhap news agency reported that a Seoul court issued the arrest order for Yoon, 65, after the special counsel expressed concern that the former leader could destroy evidence.
Yoon, who was impeached in December and first arrested in January, is now being held at the Seoul Detention Centre.
His lawyers told the court shortly before the scheduled hearing that Yoon would not appear due to health reasons, submitting written justification for his absence.
If found guilty of insurrection, Yoon could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or even the death sentence.
South Korean state media also said Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon-hee, is under investigation on allegations of stock manipulation, election interference and bribery. As part of the special probe, investigators searched the residence of former prosecutor Kim Sang-min this week.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki is examining claims that Kim Keon-hee interfered in the ruling People Power Party’s nomination of candidates for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections and the 2024 general elections.
In the latter case, she is suspected of trying to help the former prosecutor secure nomination for a district previously won by Kim Young-sun.
Snap elections held in June resulted in the country’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, approving special legislation to investigate Yoon’s attempt to declare martial law and other criminal allegations linked to his administration and wife.
Yoon was first impeached by parliament on 14 December last year, arrested on 15 January and later released on 8 March after a court overturned the arrest on technical grounds. However, he still faces trial over multiple charges.
The country was thrown into political turmoil when Yoon attempted to subvert civilian government on 3 December by sending armed soldiers to parliament in a bid to block lawmakers from rejecting his martial law declaration.
Yonhap reported that Yoon is accused of fabricating a false martial law document after 3 December to lend legitimacy to his actions, and of having it signed by then Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun before discarding it.
He is also alleged to have ordered the presidential spokesperson for foreign media to issue false statements denying any intent to undermine the constitutional order, instructed the Presidential Security Service to block his detention by investigators in January and ordered the deletion of secure phone call records used by three military commanders.
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