People watch the news of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the police executing a warrant to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol at Seoul Station in Seoul, Jan. 15. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained for questioning, Wednesday, 43 days after his controversial declaration of martial law.

The detention comes after an initial attempt to detain him failed on Jan. 3, marking the first time in Korea's history that a sitting president has been taken into custody by investigative authorities as a criminal suspect.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has been investigating the impeached president on charges of insurrection and abuse of power for his short-lived martial law attempt that triggered unprecedented political chaos in the country.

Yoon declared martial law through an emergency press briefing at around 10:24 p.m. on Dec. 3, describing it as a necessary measure to eradicate what he called "anti-state forces."

The National Assembly quickly took action, passing a resolution demanding the repeal of martial law. As a result, Yoon lifted the martial law approximately six hours after its declaration.

The National Assembly passed a motion to impeach Yoon on Dec. 14, suspending his duties as president. Yoon faced allegations of being the mastermind behind the martial law attempt and sending troops to the National Assembly on the night of Dec. 3 to prevent lawmakers from voting to revoke the declaration.

The CIO summoned Yoon for questioning three times, on Dec. 18, 25 and 29. However, he did not comply with any of the summonses and attempted to delay the investigation, refusing to submit a power of attorney, or engage in discussions to adjust the schedule.

After Yoon repeatedly refused to comply, the CIO filed for a detention warrant on Dec. 30, which was granted by the Seoul Western District Court the following day. The warrant, valid for one week, was accompanied by a search warrant for his presidential residence in Yongsan District, central Seoul, in connection with the investigation.

The CIO and the police attempted to execute the warrant on Jan. 3 but failed after over a five-hour standoff with the Presidential Security Service (PSS). More than 200 PSS members prevented investigators from detaining Yoon by forming a human chain and blocking them from entering the premises.

Yoon sought to have the court warrants invalidated, calling them illegal, but his request was dismissed by the court on Jan. 5.

The CIO issued a second warrant to detain him on Jan. 6.

Yoon's lawyers submitted a power of attorney to the CIO on Jan. 12, conveying concerns to the investigation team that detaining the leader "could cause difficulties in his constitutional trial defense and state affairs."

The second warrant was executed at 10:33 a.m. on Wednesday, about six hours after investigators entered Yoon's premises, making him the first incumbent president to be placed under custody.

The CIO has up to 48 hours to question Yoon under detention before deciding whether to seek a formal arrest warrant.