Impeached South Korean President Goes Naked

Impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has resisted attempts to interrogate him by lying down in his underwear in his prison cell.

Prosecutors obtained a fresh arrest warrant to bring him in for questioning over allegations of election tampering.

Prosecutor Oh Jeong-hee said, “The suspect refused arrest while lying on the floor without wearing his prison-issued clothing.” Due to safety concerns, physical force was withheld, and the execution of the warrant was temporarily suspended. Yoon was wearing “a sleeveless top and prison-issued briefs,” prosecutors described.

Yoon faces charges from insurrection to election tampering and has refused to appear at his summons multiple times. His legal team criticized the prosecutors, saying they showed a “disturbing disregard” for “basic human decency.”

Yoon’s lawyer Yoo Jeong-hwa said, “The special counsel turned what should have been a press briefing into a stage for personal humiliation.” He added, “What kind of legal institution in a civilised country gives a real-time report and commentary to journalists on a detainee’s clothing, especially in a cramped cell nearing 40 degrees (Celsius) (104 degrees Fahrenheit)?”

The former president’s lawyers also cited health concerns, stating that Yoon suffers from “several underlying conditions that pose significant challenges to maintaining his health.”

South Korea’s Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho described Yoon’s behavior as “frankly embarrassing for a former president.” He said, “He had been wearing a short-sleeved top and trousers, but reportedly removed his prison uniform when the special counsel team attempted to enforce the arrest warrant, only to put it back on immediately after they left.” Jung added, “We will ensure he is treated with appropriate dignity, without raising any suspicion of preferential treatment, in light of his former position.”

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