South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s lawyer informed the press that he will not be appearing for questioning on Thursday, following his dramatic arrest the previous day over his failed attempt to declare martial law.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will not be participating in a second round of questioning, according to his lawyer on Thursday. This announcement came a day after his arrest and detention over a failed martial law attempt in December.

"President Yoon is not well and fully explained his position yesterday so there is nothing more to be interrogated about," one of his lawyers, Yoon Kab-keun, told Yonhap news agency. His questioning had been scheduled to resume at 2 p.m. (0500 GMT) on Thursday afternoon.

In addition to Yoon’s criminal investigation, the Constitutional Court is set to hold a second hearing in his impeachment trial. The outcome of the court’s decision will determine whether Yoon will be permanently removed or reinstated as president.

Yoon’s arrest on Wednesday marked a historic moment, as he became South Korea’s first sitting president to be detained. The arrest occurred in a dramatic standoff, with hundreds of security personnel scaling barricades and approaching the house where Yoon was staying, which was surrounded by guards.

He was questioned for several hours on Wednesday but invoked his right to remain silent. Following this, he was transferred to the Seoul Detention Center and was expected to spend the night in a solitary cell. Authorities are permitted to detain him for up to 48 hours, after which they will require a new warrant if they wish to keep him for an additional 20 days. This would allow them the time to formalize an indictment.

Later on Thursday, a hearing will take place to review the legality of the warrant used for his arrest, following a request from his lawyers for such a review. An official from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) stated that they have prepared a questionnaire of more than 200 pages for Yoon.

Yoon’s detention is the latest development in the aftermath of his brief attempt to impose martial law in December, which has escalated into a significant political and constitutional crisis in South Korea. The former prosecutor faces charges of orchestrating an insurrection and could be sentenced to life in prison or even the death penalty if convicted.

Before his detention, Yoon evaded arrest for several weeks by staying within his residential compound, where he was protected by members of the Presidential Security Service (PSS). He maintains that the investigation into him was unlawful and that the arrest warrant used to detain him was invalid.

While several opinion polls show a majority of South Koreans support his impeachment, Yoon still has strong opposition from his loyal supporters.