South Korean court orders formal arrest of president over martial law decree

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sits in a car as he heads to a detention centre in Uiwang, South Korea earlier this week (Kim Sung-min/Yonhap via AP)

South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been formally arrested days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul, as he faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month.

Mr Yoon’s arrest could mark the beginning of an extended period in custody for him, lasting months or more.