AdvertisementAdvertisementEast AsiaSouth Korea's president-elect Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a service to celebrate Buddha's birthday at the Jogye temple in Seoul on May 8, 2022. Yoon resisted prosecutors' attempts to interrogate him by lying down on the floor in just his underwear, lawyers said on Aug 1, 2025. (File photo: AFP/Anthony Wallace)01 Aug 2025 05:27PM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInRead a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST SEOUL: South Korea's impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol lay on his prison cell floor in his underwear to resist attempts to interrogate him, prosecutors said on Friday (Aug 1).Prosecutors obtained a fresh arrest warrant on Thursday to forcibly bring the former leader in for questioning over allegations of election tampering.However, they were "unable to do so due to his strong refusal", prosecutor Oh Jeong-hee told reporters."The suspect refused arrest while lying on the floor without wearing his prison-issued clothing," she said."Due to concerns over safety incidents, physical force was withheld, and the execution of the warrant was temporarily suspended."Yoon was wearing "a sleeveless top and prison-issued briefs", prosecutors said, calling it the "most appropriate way" to describe his attire given the "serious nature of the situation".There was no information on the colour of his underclothing, they added.Prosecutors informed Yoon they would have to carry out physical force if necessary in the next attempt.South Korea ex-leader Yoon returns to jail as court grants warrantYoon was arrested after he tried to impose martial law on Dec 3, sending troops to parliament to prevent lawmakers from voting down his declaration and plunging the country into political turmoil.He faces a litany of charges, from insurrection to election tampering, but has refused multiple times to appear at his summons.Yoon's legal team said the prosecutors had shown a "disturbing disregard" for "basic human decency"."The special counsel turned what should have been a press briefing into a stage for personal humiliation," Yoon's lawyer Yoo Jeong-hwa told AFP."What kind of legal institution in a civilised country gives a real-time report and commentary to journalists on a detainee's clothing, especially in a cramped cell nearing 40 degrees Celsius?"Yoon's lawyers said the former president suffers from "several underlying conditions that pose significant challenges to maintaining his health", making it difficult for him to fully cooperate with the investigation.Listen:Source: AFP/rlNewsletterWeek in ReviewSubscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in ReviewOur chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.NewsletterMorning BriefSubscribe to CNA’s Morning BriefAn automated curation of our top stories to start your day.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST