South Korea’s impeached president is arrested over martial law declaration and his supporters riot

Hours after South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested, triggering rioting by his supporters, his lawyers said yesterday that he remains defiant in his refusal to answer questions over the probe into his declaration of martial law last month.

Yoon was formally arrested early yesterday, days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul. He faces possible imprisonment over his short-lived imposition of martial law, which set off the country’s most serious political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s.

Yoon’s arrest could mark the beginning of an extended period in custody, lasting months or more.

The decision to arrest Yoon ignited unrest at the Seoul Western District Court, where dozens of his supporters broke in and rioted, destroying the main door and windows. They used plastic chairs, metal beams and police shields that they managed to wrestle away from officers.

They shouted demands to see the judge who had issued the warrant, but she had already left.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed and nearly 90 protesters were arrested.