South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested early on Sunday, days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul.

South Korea's anti-corruption agency has recommended prosecuting impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for insurrection and power abuse following his brief martial law declaration. The CIO transferred the case to prosecutors as Yoon remains uncooperative.

South Korea’s impeached president denied that he had ordered the military to drag out lawmakers at the National Assembly to prevent them from voting down his martial law decree last month, as he appeared for the first time at a hearing of the Constitutional Court that is to determine his fate.

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 President Yoon Suk Yeol attended on Tuesday a Constitutional Court hearing of his impeachment trial where he denied ordering military commanders to drag lawmakers out of parliament during his short-lived bid to impose martial law.

The so-called Choongampa faction, a group with origins in the private school in Seoul where imprisoned South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol studied in the 1970s, appears to be a key element in the plot behind his recently foiled decision to declare martial law.

In an unprecedented turn of events, South Korea faced a brief but chaotic declaration of martial law under President Yoon Suk-yeol. The late-night announcement disrupted the nation, citing threats to democracy and national security,

Prosecutors on Saturday made another request to extend South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention beyond its initial period for a probe over his botched martial law attempt last month, after a Seoul court rejected its earlier request the previous day.

A pedestrian passes by the wreaths sent by supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside of the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea on Jan 14. (AP)

South Korean prosecutors on Saturday again asked for an extension of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention over his failed martial law bid, after a Seoul court rejected a previous demand, Yonhap news agency reported.

The court rejected the prosecution's request to extend the detention period for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. No grounds were found to keep the leader in custody for another 10 days, reports Yonhap.