Seoul: A Seoul court on Saturday denied prosecutors' renewed request for an extension of President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest, according to prosecution officials. The Seoul Central District Court upheld its prior decision, rejecting an earlier request to prolong the impeached president's detention, citing "similar grounds" as the previous decision, as stated by a prosecution official.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the special prosecution team sought to extend the arrest warrant until February 6, but the court dismissed the request, expressing minimal necessity for the prosecution to "supplement" the investigation led by the anti-corruption agency. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) recently transferred the case to the prosecution, lacking the legal authority to indict a president.

In their request for extension, prosecutors emphasized the need to continue the investigation, including in-person questioning of Yoon, who has largely been uncooperative with the probe. With the court's rejection, the prosecution must decide whether to indict him before his mandatory release by Monday, with indications pointing to a likely indictment on Sunday.

Law enforcement is scrutinizing Yoon for allegedly masterminding the December 3 martial law imposition, which has triggered a political crisis in the country. He faces potential charges of insurrection and abuse of power, accused of colluding with then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others to initiate a riot by declaring martial law and deploying troops to parliament to obstruct lawmakers.

Yoon has been held at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang since his formal arrest on December 19. Concurrently, a Constitutional Court trial is ongoing to determine whether to uphold or dismiss his impeachment by the National Assembly.

While Yoon has attended his impeachment trial at the top court, his legal defense has contested the legality of the CIO's investigation, demanding Yoon's immediate release. "The CIO's investigation itself is illegal and fundamentally null and void," stated Yun Gap-geun, his lawyer, during a press briefing. "It's best that they stop all attempts to bring down the president."