President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to supporters after his release from the Seoul detention centre on Saturday. (Reuters: Kim Hong-ji)
In short:
Yoon Suk Yeol was released from a detention centre in Seoul on Saturday after prosecutors decided not to appeal a court decision to cancel the impeached leader's arrest warrant on insurrection charges.
The 64-year-old, the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office, had been in custody since January 15.
What's next?
Mr Yoon remains suspended from his duties, and his criminal and impeachment trials continue over his short-lived martial law imposition on December 3.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has walked free after prosecutors decided not to appeal a court decision to cancel the impeached leader's arrest warrant on insurrection charges.
The 64-year-old, who was elected his nation's 13th president in 2022, was released from a detention centre in Seoul on Saturday.
Mr Yoon remains suspended from his duties, and his criminal and impeachment trials continue over his short-lived martial law imposition on December 3.
The Seoul Central District Court cancelled Mr Yoon's arrest warrant on Friday, citing the timing of his indictment and "questions about the legality" of the investigation process.
President Yoon (right) had been in custody since January 15 after declaring martial law the previous month. (Reuters: Kim Hong-ji)
"First of all, I would like to thank the Central District Court for their courage and determination in correcting the illegality," Mr Yoon said in a statement.
His lawyers said the court decision "confirmed that the president's detainment was problematic in both procedural and substantive aspects," calling the ruling the "beginning of a journey to restore rule of law".
Prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.
Supporters of President Yoon outnumbered opponents as he was released following two months in custody. (Reuters: Kim Hong-ji)
In Mr Yoon's impeachment trial, the Constitutional Court is expected to decide in coming days whether to reinstate him or remove him from office.
Yoon Suk Yeol defends his martial law decree
Photo shows Yoon Suk Yeol on a television screen
Mr Yoon, the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office, had been in custody since January 15.
On Saturday, some 38,000 of his supporters rallied in Seoul, while 1,500 people demonstrated against him, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unofficial police estimates.
A South Korean court is expected to deliver a decision in the next few days on whether to remove Mr Yoon from office permanently or reinstate him after arguments ended in the separate impeachment trial last week.
A new presidential election would be held within 60 days if Mr Yoon is removed.
Reuters