Ousted South Korean leader greets supporters as he leaves presidential residence
Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing a criminal trial on rebellion charges, was released from custody in March after a Seoul court cancelled his arrest.
Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol left the presidential residence in Seoul for his private home, a week after the Constitutional Court removed him from office over his ill-fated imposition of martial law in December.
In recent days, moving trucks were seen driving in and out of the walled presidential compound in the Hannam-dong district, the site of a massive law enforcement operation in January that led to Mr Yoon’s detainment.
Mr Yoon, who is facing a criminal trial on rebellion charges, was released from custody in March after a Seoul court cancelled his arrest.
Mr Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, along with their 11 dogs and cats, are returning to their private apartment in affluent southern Seoul.
As his black van arrived at the gate of the presidential compound, Mr Yoon stepped out, smiling and waving to his supporters, shaking hands and embracing dozens of them, before getting back into the vehicle and leaving the site.
Ahead of his arrival, dozens of both supporters and critics of Mr Yoon rallied near his private residence amid a heavy police presence, holding signs that ran from “Your excellency Yoon, we will carry on with your spirit” to “Give Yoon Suk Yeol the death penalty”.
In a separate public message, Mr Yoon expressed gratitude to his supporters who had protested for months calling for his reinstatement, and stressed that he will “continue to do my utmost” to build the “free and prosperous Republic of Korea that we have dreamed of together”, invoking South Korea’s formal name.
Mr Yoon, a conservative who narrowly won the 2022 election, declared martial law on late-night television on December 3, vowing to eradicate “anti-state” liberals whom he accused of abusing their legislative majority to obstruct his agenda.
Mr Yoon also declared a suspension of legislative activities and sent hundreds of troops to surround the National Assembly, but legislators still managed to form a quorum and voted to lift martial law just hours after it was imposed.
Mr Yoon’s powers were suspended after the assembly impeached him on December 14.
The Constitutional Court upheld impeachment and formally removed him from office last week, triggering a presidential election the government set for June 3.
Despite his self-inflicted downfall, it is unlikely that Mr Yoon will fade into the background, experts say.
With the country entering election mode, he may try to rally his supporters while seeking to tighten his grip on the conservative People Power Party, whose leadership is stacked with loyalists.
Facing a separate criminal trial on rebellion charges, which are punishable by death or life in prison, Mr Yoon would strongly prefer a conservative president who could pardon him if convicted and is likely to push to ensure the party’s primaries are won by a candidate he supports, experts say.
