South Korea's impeached President Yoon released from prison

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s impeached conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison on Saturday, a day after a Seoul court canceled his arrest to allow him to stand trial for rebellion without being detained.

After walking out of a detention center near Seoul, Yoon waved, clenched his fists and bowed deeply to his supporters who were shouting his name and waving South Korean and U.S. flags. Yoon climbed into a black van headed to his presidential residence in Seoul.

In a statement distributed by his lawyers, Yoon said that he “appreciates the courage and decision by the Seoul Central District Court to correct illegality,” in an apparent reference to legal disputes over his arrest. He said he also thanks his supporters and asked those who are on hunger strike against his impeachment to end it.

Yoon was arrested and indicted by prosecutors in January over his Dec. 3 martial law decree that plunged the country into huge political turmoil. The liberal opposition-controlled National Assembly separately voted to impeach him, leading to his suspension from office.

The Constitutional Court has been deliberating whether to formally dismiss or reinstate Yoon. If the court upholds his impeachment, a national election will be held to find his successor within two months.

The Seoul Central District Court said Friday it accepted Yoon’s request to be released from prison, citing the need to address questions over the legality of the investigations on the president. Yoon’s lawyers have accused the investigative agency that detained him before his formal arrest of lacking legal authority to probe rebellion charges.

The Seoul court also said the legal period of his formal arrest expired before he was indicted.

Yoon’s release came after prosecutors decided not to appeal the decision by the Seoul court. South Korean law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect while pursuing an appeal, even after his or her arrest is canceled by a court.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led Yoon’s Dec. 14 impeachment, lashed out at the prosecutors’ decision, calling them “henchmen” of Yoon, a former prosecutor general. Party spokesperson Cho Seung-rae urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss Yoon as soon as possible to avoid further public unrest and anxiety.

At the heart of public criticism of Yoon over his martial law decree was his dispatch of hundreds of troops and police officers to the National Assembly after placing the country under military rule. Some senior military and police officials sent to the assembly have testified that Yoon ordered them to pull out lawmakers to thwart a parliamentary vote on the decree. Yoon has countered that he aimed to maintain order.

Enough lawmakers eventually managed to enter an assembly hall and voted unanimously to overturn Yoon's decree.

Investigators have alleged Yoon’s martial-law decree amounted to rebellion. If he’s convicted of that offense, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment. Yoon has presidential immunity from most criminal prosecutions but that doesn't cover grave charges like rebellion and treason.

Yoon has said he didn’t intend to maintain martial law for long as he only attempted to inform the public of the danger of the Democratic Party, which obstructed his agenda and impeached many senior officials and prosecutors. In his martial law announcement, Yoon called the assembly “a den of criminals” and “anti-state forces.”

South Korea's conservative-liberal divide is severe, and rallies either supporting or denouncing Yoon's impeachment have divided Seoul streets. Experts say whatever decision the Constitutional Court makes, the division is certain to worsen.

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attend a rally to oppose his impeachment near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. The letters read "Dismiss Impeachment." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a rally to oppose his impeachment near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters upon his arrival outside of presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim In-chul/Yonhap via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters as he comes out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol greets to his supporters upon his arrival outside of presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim In-chul/Yonhap via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol greets to his supporters as he comes out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters as he comes out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Hong Hyo-shik/Newsis via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol greets to his supporters after he came out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol greets to his supporters after he came out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Hong Hyo-shik/Newsis via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters after he came out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP)

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol greets to his supporters after he came out of a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Kim Do-hun/Yonhap via AP)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The announcement was made Friday by the U.S. military. The Trump administration has been targeting sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.

The pre-dawn action was carried out by U.S. Marines and Navy, taking part in the monthslong buildup of forces in the Caribbean, according to U.S. Southern Command, which declared “there is no safe haven for criminals” as it announced the seizure of the vessel called the Olina.

Navy officials couldn’t immediately provide details about whether the Coast Guard was part of the force that took control of the vessel as has been the case in the previous seizures. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard said there was no immediate comment on the seizure.

The Olina is the fifth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of a broader effort by Trump’s administration to control the distribution of Venezuela’s oil products globally following the U.S. ouster of President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid.

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FILE - President Donald Trump dances as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)