Seoul Gazette - South Korea's Yoon avoids fresh questioning after dramatic arrest

The Constitutional Court also opened its second hearing in a trial that will decide whether to uphold Yoon's impeachment, following the dawn raid that made him the country's first-ever sitting president to be detained.

The former star prosecutor -- who faces charges of insurrection -- was questioned for hours Wednesday but exercised his right to remain silent before being moved to a detention centre.

Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) were to resume Yoon's questioning Thursday afternoon, but his team told them he would not attend.

"President Yoon Suk Yeol's representatives informed the CIO through his legal counsel around 1:50 pm that there is 'no change in his position', indicating his intent not to appear," the CIO said in a statement.

Lawyer Yoon confirmed to AFP the embattled leader would not attend, without specifying the reason, but told the Yonhap news agency it was for health reasons.

"President Yoon is not well and fully explained his position yesterday so there is nothing more to be interrogated about," Yoon Kab-keun told Yonhap, an apparent reference to his Wednesday decision to not answer questions.

Wednesday's dramatic arrest saw a hundreds-strong force of police and investigators bypass bus barricades, cut barbed wire and scale ladders to get inside the compound where Yoon was surrounded by hundreds of guards.

Yoon said he complied with investigators to avoid "bloodshed" but did not accept the legality of the investigation.

Meanwhile, officials were trying to secure a new warrant that could hold him for longer than 48 hours.

If investigators successfully obtain that warrant, they are expected to be given a 20-day extension to the leader's detention to allow time to formalise an indictment against him.

South Korea's opposition Democratic Party celebrated Yoon's detention, while the parliament speaker said it was time to stabilise the country after weeks of turmoil.

But Yoon's lawyers have filed for a review of the warrant used to arrest him.

A hearing to review the warrant's legality was set for 5 pm (0800 GMT) at a Seoul court Thursday.

Experts say Yoon's legal team appeared to be trying to drag out the arrest process to his benefit.

"It appears that every legal tactic is being employed by Yoon's team to prolong the situation," Lee Jong-soo, a law professor at Yonsei University, told AFP.

- Trial tribulations -

Yoon shocked the nation late on December 3 when he declared martial law, claiming he needed to safeguard South Korea "from the threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements".

He deployed troops to parliament but lawmakers defied them and voted down the move. Yoon revoked martial law after just six hours and was later impeached by parliament.

The 64-year-old suspended leader then evaded arrest for weeks by remaining in his residential compound, protected by loyal members of the Presidential Security Service (PSS).

Shortly after he was taken to the CIO offices, investigators began questioning Yoon, but they said later he exercised "his right to remain silent".

The CIO confirmed they were addressing him as "Mr President" during questioning.

In a parallel probe, the Constitutional Court is deciding whether to uphold Yoon's impeachment.

If that happens, Yoon will finally lose the presidency and fresh elections must be held within 60 days.

He did not attend Thursday's hearing in person and his lawyers instead requested a postponement that the court "decided not to accept", spokesperson Cheon Jae-hyun told reporters.

The trial is continuing in Yoon's absence, though proceedings could last for months.

However, the National Assembly's legal team told reporters before the hearing began that Yoon's arrest had "created the conditions to swiftly resolve the constitutional crisis through procedures outlined by the Constitution and the law."

F.Cha--SG