The police are investigating whether President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to lead an insurrection when he declared martial law and plunged the country into crisis.

A South Korean court gave authorities approval on Tuesday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in a criminal investigation into his martial law decree, marking the first time that a sitting president of the country has faced arrest.

In a first for the country, a court issued an arrest warrant for a former president on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion.