South Korea's impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was formally arrested early Sunday, days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul, as he faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month.

Yoon, who was impeached and suspended from office in December, is the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

A South Korean court on Sunday extended President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention for up to 20 days, citing concern he could destroy evidence in a criminal probe into his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December.

Law enforcement authorities have requested a warrant to formally arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is spending his third day at a detention center after his lawyers failed in a last-minute attempt to secure his release.

Lawyers for South Korea’s impeached president say he will appear at a hearing in a Seoul court to oppose a formal arrest over last month’s imposition of martial law

As 3,000 riot police swarmed his hillside villa on Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol huddled with party loyalists, telling them that people were increasingly realising the country's legal system had been hijacked by leftist forces.

Seoul, South Korea – South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested early Sunday, days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul. He faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month.

South Korean court orders formal arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law decree.

A South Korean court granted on Sunday an extension of President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention, saying there was "concern" that Yoon could "destroy evidence" in a criminal probe related to his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December.