Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has been banned from leaving the country by the special independent counsel investigating him as he faces insurrection charges over his short-lived martial law attempt.

It was revealed on Wednesday that the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-suk, which has taken over the insurrection investigation previously handled by the prosecution and police, judged that a new travel ban was necessary.

According to the special counsel, if his arrest is revoked or bail is granted while the trial is underway, or if the agency in charge of prosecuting Yoon changes, the travel ban issue will be reviewed.

The Ministry of Justice banned Yoon from leaving the country on December 9 last year, just six days after he issued his martial law decree, and the prosecution formally detained him on January 19 this year and indicted him a week later on charges of leading an insurrection.

Later, when the court decided to cancel Yoon’s arrest, the prosecution banned him from leaving the country.

The special counsel asked a court on Tuesday for a warrant to arrest Yoon after he failed to respond to multiple summonses for questioning. 

The court could deliver a decision on the warrant as early as Wednesday.