Impeached South Korean President Yun Suk-jeol was released from prison today, a day after a Seoul court overturned his arrest warrant and allowed him to defend himself at his sedition trial.
Television footage showed Jun waving to supporters who chanted his name and waved South Korean and American flags, before getting into a van and heading towards his residence in Seoul.
In a statement shared by his lawyers, Jun said he appreciated the courage and decision of the Seoul Central District Court to correct the illegality, in an apparent response to the issues surrounding his arrest. He also said he thanked his supporters and called on anyone on a hunger strike over his impeachment to end it.
Prosecutors arrested and charged Jun in January over his brief declaration of martial law on December 3 last year, which plunged the country into massive political turmoil. The opposition-dominated National Assembly voted separately to impeach him, leading to his suspension as president.
A Constitutional Court hearing is underway on whether to formally remove Jun from office or reinstate him. If the court upholds his impeachment, a national election will be held within two months to find his successor. The Seoul Central District Court said yesterday that it had granted Jun's request to be released from prison. The court also noted that the legal period for his detention had expired before he was indicted.
Jun was not released the same day the court made the decision because under South Korean law, prosecutors have the right to hold a suspect pending an appeal, even if the court has overturned his arrest warrant. Since prosecutors did not appeal the Seoul Central District Court's decision, Jun was released today.
The main opposition Democratic Party, which led Jun's impeachment on December 14, criticized the prosecutors' decision, calling them "servants." A party spokesman called on the Constitutional Court to rule on Jun's dismissal as soon as possible to avoid further unrest and tension.
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