S. Korea's court approves release of Yoon

SEOUL — A South Korean court approved the release of arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday, opening a possibility for the impeached leader to be tried without detention.

The Seoul Central District Court accepted Yoon's request to cancel his arrest, which was made by his legal team on Feb 4. However, Yoon remains behind bars with the prosecution likely to appeal.

Yoon's lawyers filed a request to cancel his arrest warrant last month, arguing his detention was unlawful because the prosecution waited too long to indict him.

"It is reasonable to conclude that the indictment was filed after the defendant's detention period had expired," said a document from the Seoul Central District Court.

"To ensure procedural clarity and eliminate any doubts regarding the legality of the investigative process, it would be appropriate to issue a decision to cancel the detention," the court added.

The cancellation, however, may not mean his immediate release, said lawyers for the president, who has been impeached and detained over his Dec 3 declaration of martial law.

"The defendant will be released only if the prosecutor waives the right to appeal or does not file an appeal within the prescribed period," Yoon's lawyer, Seok Donghyeon, said on Friday.

Yoon has been charged with insurrection for his martial law declaration, which lawmakers voted down within hours before impeaching him.

The 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks in a tense standoff between his security team and investigators at his official residence in Seoul, but was finally taken into custody on Jan 15.

He also faces an impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether his removal from office is upheld.

The hearings for that case wrapped up last week, with the court's eight judges set to convene behind closed doors to decide Yoon's fate. A verdict is expected in mid-March and South Korea must hold a fresh presidential election within 60 days if Yoon is removed.

Agencies - Xinhua