Former President Yoon Seok-yeol Re-arrested Amid Ongoing Investigations

Former President Yoon Seok-yeol was re-arrested early on July 10, 2025, at approximately 2:07 AM on charges including obstruction of special public duties. This marks his return to custody 124 days after being released due to a court's decision to cancel his previous arrest warrant on March 8. The Special Prosecutor's Office, led by Jo Eun-seok, is expected to intensify its investigation into foreign exchange-related allegations following Yoon's re-arrest.

The Seoul Central District Court's Chief Judge Nam Se-jin stated that there is a concern regarding the potential destruction of evidence, leading to the issuance of the arrest warrant requested by the Special Prosecutor's Office.

The hearing for the arrest warrant lasted 6 hours and 45 minutes, during which Yoon denied the allegations and argued against the legitimacy of the investigation during a 30-minute closing statement. After the hearing, he awaited the results in the waiting room at the Seoul Detention Center before undergoing formal admission procedures into a solitary confinement cell.

Yoon is accused of infringing on the deliberative rights of certain cabinet members by not inviting them to a National Security Council meeting regarding the declaration of martial law on December 3. He is also charged with creating and subsequently destroying a false document related to the declaration of martial law. Additionally, he allegedly instructed the Presidential Security Service to carry firearms during the execution of an arrest warrant by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials and ordered the deletion of records from a secure communication server.

Yoon will be subject to investigation by the Special Prosecutor's Office while in custody for a maximum of 20 days, during which they will focus on the foreign exchange allegations to determine if further charges are warranted.

The Special Prosecutor's Office is investigating the possibility that Yoon sent a drone to Pyongyang last October to justify the declaration of martial law. They have recently accelerated their investigation by summoning military officials as witnesses.

Meanwhile, upon hearing the news of Yoon's re-arrest around 2:10 AM, approximately 50 supporters gathered outside the Seoul Detention Center, displaying expressions of shock. Some participants played loud music criticizing President Lee Jae-myung for about ten minutes and called for Yoon's release. They dispersed peacefully without conflict with the police units present to maintain order.