President Yoon’s release from prison is made possible by a South Korean court

On Friday, a South Korean court revoked the arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, possibly allowing him to be released from custody pending his trial on rebellion charges related to the temporary martial law.

In a statement, the Seoul Central District Court observed “questions about the legality” of the investigation procedure that involved two different agencies and said that its decision was based on the indictment’s timing, which occurred after the original detention time had ended.

The criminal accusations that resulted in Yoon’s arrest on January 15 were not dismissed by the verdict, and the case is distinct from his impeachment, which is still proceeding before the Constitutional Court.

Both were brought on by his imposition of martial law on December 3, which also resulted in the prime minister, who had assumed the role of acting president, being impeached.

As the country’s acting head of state, South Korea’s Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has worked to reassure foreign allies and soothe economic markets in the face of political unrest.

According to Yoon’s attorneys and his presidential office, the district court’s ruling demonstrated that the lawsuit against Yoon had been brought for political reasons without any basis in the law.

“This country’s rule of law is still alive,” Yoon’s attorneys said in a statement after the court decided to cancel the arrest.

Yoon’s attorneys demanded that he be released right away, although they acknowledged that prosecutors might file an appeal. The decision was met with no instant response from the prosecutor’s office.

Soon after the court ruling, protesters both in favor of and against Yoon gathered in Seoul.

“It will touch people’s emotions. “Our president has endured a great deal of hardship,” pro-Yoon demonstrator Lee Yoon-nam, 44, told Reuters.

A 31-year-old anti-Yoon demonstrator named Yoo Seong-min claimed that “anger shot through” his head, prompting him to go out and protest.

The defense team for Yoon had contended that the January 19 warrant that prolonged Yoon’s custody was void due to procedural flaws in the prosecutors’ request.

Additionally, it has asserted that the Corruption inquiry Office for High-ranking Officials, which carried out the initial phase of Yoon’s criminal inquiry, lacked the legal power to act on rebellion accusations.

NOT A SUGGESTION

Although the district court’s ruling on Friday was not a confirmation of Yoon’s guilt, legal experts said it did cast doubt on the indictment’s validity and touched on legal matters for which there is no established precedence.

A higher court may have the authority to reverse any trial court decision if “questions about the legality of the investigation process” are not resolved, the Seoul Central District Court stated in its statement.

Last week, the court concluded arguments in the separate impeachment trial, and it was anticipated that it would decide within the next few days whether to permanently remove Yoon from office or reinstate him.

Within 60 days of Yoon’s removal, a new presidential election will be held to choose a new leader.

“This court decision has nothing to do with the Constitutional Court’s impeachment trial of Yoon Suk Yeol,” stated Han Min-soo, a spokesman for this opposition Democratic Party. “There will be no impact.”

Six hours after the parliament voted against his proclamation of martial law, Yoon lifted it, claiming it was necessary to eradicate “anti-state” groups. He has stated that he never planned to fully implement military rule during an emergency.

On charges that he had disregarded his constitutional obligation by imposing martial law, the opposition-led parliament impeached him a few weeks later.