S.Korean impeached President Yoon held at Seoul Detention Center

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was Wednesday detained at Seoul Detention Center after a day-long grilling by investigators over short-lied martial law, Yonhap News reported.

Yoon was detained early Wednesday when hundreds of police personnel launched a pre-dawn raid on a highly fortified presidential residence in the capital Seoul. He had avoided arrest on the first attempt by investigators on Jan. 3.

The investigators have 48 hours since 10.33 a.m. local time (0133GMT) on Wednesday to secure a warrant to formally arrest Yoon, who faces charges of insurrection and treason over his Dec. 3 decree to impose martial law.

Yoon was questioned by investigators for more than 10 hours at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) at its office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul.

He has called the detention illegal while his lawyers have sought a review of the legality of the detention.

Separately, Yoon's lawyers requested the Constitutional Court, which is holding the impeachment trial, to postpone the second trial hearing on Thursday.

The 63-year-old president did not attend the first obligatory hearing by the top court on Tuesday.