Anchor: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is back in custody in connection with his martial law move in December. The Seoul Central District Court issued a fresh warrant to put Yoon behind bars around 2 a.m. Thursday, citing concerns that he could destroy evidence. 
Kim Bum-soo reports.

Report: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is back in a single-occupancy cell at the Seoul Detention Center, just south of the capital.

With his security detail nowhere in sight, the impeached former president had a physical exam and went through other admission procedures before taking a mug shot in a uniform for inmates currently standing trial.

In granting the special prosecutor’s request to put Yoon behind bars early Thursday morning, the court agreed he could otherwise destroy evidence.

During the warrant hearing the previous day, Yoon made a 20-minute appeal for his freedom, but to no avail.

This is the second time the court has issued a warrant to detain Yoon, who was released in March after his defense attorneys raised issues with a technical glitch over the expiration of the initial warrant and the timing of his indictment.  

The special counsel is now pursuing new charges against the former president, alleging among other things that he violated government ministers’ rights by summoning a select group of them for a Cabinet meeting, enough only to secure a quorum, before declaring martial law.

The new warrant gives the special prosecutor ten days to investigate Yoon and is renewable for another ten days.

If the special counsel indicts him within those 20 days, the ousted former president can be kept behind bars for up to six months.

Yoon can appeal the detention warrant or request bail, but given the concerns the court recognized about the potential for destruction of evidence, legal experts say it remains unclear what will happen.

The special counsel team told reporters that investigators will begin interrogating him Friday.

Yoon has already been indicted on other charges and is already facing trial over his martial law bid. 

Yoon’s defense team said the former president will not attend the tenth hearing in his trial on Thursday, citing health reasons. 
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.