Seoul, Jan 17 (IANS) South Korean investigators on Friday sought a warrant to formally arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched imposition of martial law, 45 days after his late-night declaration on December 3.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) filed the request with the Seoul Western District Court two days after it apprehended Yoon at his residence and took him to a detention center following questioning.

It is the first time in South Korea's constitutional history that an arrest warrant has been requested for a sitting president.

The CIO said Yoon was charged with leading an insurrection and abuse of power, citing the gravity of the alleged crimes and the risk of recurrence as reasons for seeking the warrant.

Yoon has refused to appear for questioning over his failed martial law bid despite being detained.

He filed a request with the Seoul Central District Court to review the legality of his detention, but the court dismissed the challenge Thursday night, keeping him in custody, Yonhap news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, supporters of detained South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol staged overnight rallies in front of the Seoul Western District Court, where investigators were expected to file for a warrant to formally arrest Yoon.

People in support of Yoon gathered outside the court late Thursday and locked arms in an attempt to block investigators from delivering documents requesting the warrant to the court.

A man in his 20s was detained at the scene after pushing a court employee.

When police blocked the protesters from gathering in front of the court, they moved to a nearby park and continued their rally.

A Seoul court also rejected on Friday a petition challenging the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in the ongoing investigation into his botched martial law bid, keeping him in custody a day after he was detained for questioning.

The decision by the Seoul Central District Court came a day after Yoon's legal representatives filed a petition seeking a review of the legality of his detention.

The previous day, investigators had detained Yoon for questioning over his December 3 martial law declaration after he ignored three summonses to appear for questioning in the investigation.

Thursday's court decision rejected claims from Yoon's side that the detention warrant against him, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, was invalid.

Yoon had repeatedly argued that the case should have been handled by the Seoul Central District Court instead, as his lawyers claimed that prosecutors would eventually bring the case there.

--IANS

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