DISGRACED former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in court today for a hearing to review a special prosecutor’s request for his arrest on charges related to his brief imposition of martial law in December.

The right-wing former president, who was ousted in April after the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment, was released from prison in March after the Seoul Central District Court overturned his January arrest, allowing him to stand trial for rebellion without being detained.

Arriving in a black van with his lawyers, Mr Yoon did not respond to questions before entering the court in Seoul.

His criminal case is being handled by a team of investigators under a special prosecutor, Cho Eun Suk, who are pursuing additional charges over Mr Yoon’s authoritarian push, including abuse of power, falsifying official documents and obstructing official duties.

Mr Cho’s team said they view Mr Yoon as a potential threat to destroy evidence. 

Mr Yoon’s lawyers issued a statement denouncing the request for his arrest as excessive and lacking evidence. 

The former president described his short-lived martial law imposition on December 3 as a necessary step to quash his “anti-state” liberal opponents, accusing them of using their legislative majority to obstruct his agenda. 

Mr Yoon was impeached by lawmakers in December 14.