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The court’s arrest warrant marks the first time South Korean authorities have sought to detain a sitting president.

In a historic first, a South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol over his brief declaration of martial law.

The Seoul Western District Court on Tuesday approved the arrest warrant at the request of the Joint Investigation Headquarters, which is probing the embattled South Korean leader for rebellion and abuse of power.

The Joint Investigation Headquarters said, “At the request of the Joint Investigation Headquarters, an arrest warrant and search warrant were issued for President Yoon Seok-yeol this morning.” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The move marks the first time authorities have sought to detain a sitting South Korean president.

It’s unclear when authorities will try to detain Yin.

Yoon’s security detail has previously prevented investigators from executing multiple search warrants at the presidential palace and presidential residence.

Shortly after the court’s ruling, the Presidential Security Service said in a statement that the arrest warrant would be processed in accordance with legal procedures.

South Korean media speculated that Yoon was unlikely to be arrested immediately as authorities would seek to coordinate with the presidential security services.

If Yin is detained, investigators will have 48 hours to decide whether to apply for a warrant for further questioning or release him.

Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Jia-geun, said in a statement that the warrant was “illegal and invalid” and argued that the chief information officer had no authority to investigate the president’s insurrection.

Kwon Sung-dong, a floor representative of Yun’s People’s Power Party, also criticized the court’s decision to issue the arrest warrant, calling it “inappropriate.”

Yoon faces a possible life sentence or even the death penalty after he briefly imposed martial law on December 3, plunging the East Asian country into its worst political crisis in decades.

While Yoon cannot be prosecuted for most crimes while president, he does not have immunity in cases of rebellion or treason.

Mr Yin has been suspended since Congress convened on December 14. vote to impeach him The vote was 204 to 85.

As the country’s leadership crisis deepens, the opposition-controlled legislature voted on Friday to impeach acting President Han Deok-soo, handing presidential power to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok.

The Democratic Party and several smaller opposition parties voted to impeach South Korea’s president over his refusal to immediately appoint three judges to fill vacancies on the Constitutional Court, which is considering whether to support President Yoon’s impeachment.

The court has up to six months to make a decision, after which Yoon Eun-hye will either be removed from office or reinstated as president.

Yin defended his brief martial law as legal and necessary, citing threats from “anti-state forces” and obstruction by opposition opponents.