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Former President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho District on July 5 after undergoing a second round of questioning by the special counsel investigating insurrection charges. / Source: Yonhap News

The special counsel investigating insurrection charges formally requested an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk-yeol on July 6, citing the gravity of the allegations and the necessity of securing his custody. If granted, the warrant could provide crucial momentum for the special counsel's broader probe into insurrection and foreign aggression charges. However, should the warrant be denied, the investigation may face significant setbacks.

The move comes just 18 days after the special counsel, led by Cho Eun-seok, launched its investigation on June 18. With only a fraction of the 170-day mandate used, the request is seen as a bold gamble by the team.

According to investigators, the July 5 questioning of Yoon focused on allegations that he obstructed the execution of an arrest warrant, ordered the deletion of secure communications server data, interfered with emergency Cabinet procedures related to martial law, and approved the deployment of drones into Pyongyang.

The special counsel is reportedly concentrating its efforts on the so-called “Pyongyang drone infiltration” case, in which Yoon is suspected of ordering a military operation that provoked a North Korean response — potentially triggering armed conflict — to justify the imposition of martial law. This charge falls under the category of foreign aggression.

The controversy emerged in October 2024, when North Korea’s foreign ministry accused South Korea of sending drones over Pyongyang on October 3, 9, and 10 to drop anti-regime leaflets. In December, the Democratic Party filed a criminal complaint against Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, claiming the drone missions were intended to provoke North Korea into a military response.

Investigators believe that Yoon may have deliberately sought to induce a crisis as a pretext for declaring martial law. The arrest warrant is based on testimony collected during two rounds of questioning, with the special counsel expressing concerns that Yoon could tamper with evidence or influence witnesses while at liberty.

Notably, the Pyongyang drone case was not included in the arrest warrant. Deputy Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young explained that “the foreign aggression charge is still under active investigation, and there remains a significant amount of material to review,” which is why it was omitted from the filing.

Meanwhile, the special counsel is expected to summon First Lady Kim Keon-hee in the near future, as the probe expands to examine suspicions surrounding Yoon’s alleged fury — dubbed the "VIP rage scandal" — and related decision-making.