The South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, abandoned a detention center on Saturday after prosecutors decided not to appeal a court’s decision to cancel the arrest warrant dismissed by insurrection charges.
Yoon, 64, is still suspended from their functions, and continue their criminal trials and dismissal for its ephemeral imposition of martial law on December 3.
On Friday, the Court of the Central District of Seoul annulled Yoon’s arrest warrant, alleging the moment in which the accusation and doubts about the legality of the investigation process occurred.
“I would like to thank the Court of the Central District for its courage and determination by correcting illegality,” Yoon said in a statement.
When leaving the facilities, a relaxed and smiling yoon, in a dark suit and without a tie, came down from his car, greeted, raised his fist and leaned against supporters who waved South Korean and American flags.
His lawyers affirmed that the Court’s decision “confirmed that the president’s arrest was problematic both in procedural and noun aspects.”and described the “start of a path to restore the rule of law”.
It was not possible to contact the prosecutors immediately to comment.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, criticized the decision of the Prosecutor’s Office to “plunge the country and the people in a crisis,” and urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss Yoon as soon as possible.
Within the framework of the political trial, the Constitutional Court is expected to decide in the next few days if it restores or dismisses Yoon.
Saturday, Some 55,000 Yoon supporters concentrated on the main districts of Seoul, while some 32,500 people demonstrated against them near the Constitutional Court, The Yonhap news agency reported, citing unofficial police estimates.
Public opinion remains mostly contrary to Yoon: 60% of respondents believe that it must be dismissed and 35% think otherwise, according to a Gallup Korea survey held on Friday.
Yoon, the first South Korean president detained while holding his position, was held since January 15 at the Seoul detention Center, located in the city of Uiwang, 22 kilometers south of Seoul.
