SEOUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Ministry of Justice said on Friday that it is waiting for the prosecution to order the release of detained President Yoon Suk-yeol following a decision by the Seoul Central District Court to cancel the detention of Yoon.
The prosecution has said that discussions are currently underway regarding the court's decision to cancel the detention, according to Newsis news agency.
If the prosecution immediately appeals against the court's decision to cancel the detention, there are chances that Yoon will not be released immediately.
According to Article 97 of the Criminal Procedure Act, a prosecutor may immediately appeal against a decision to cancel the arrest. And the Article 410 of the same Act states that if an immediate appeal is submitted, the execution of the trial will be suspended.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the release of Yoon earlier on Friday, opening a possibility for the impeached leader to be tried without detention.
Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec. 3 last year, but it was revoked by the opposition-led National Assembly hours later.
A motion to impeach Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14, and since then the constitutional court held 11 hearings on Yoon's impeachment with its final verdict widely expected to be delivered next week.■