A South Korean court gave authorities approval on Tuesday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in a criminal investigation into his martial law decree, marking the first time that a sitting president of the country has faced arrest.

In a first for the country, a court issued an arrest warrant for a former president on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion.

South Korea's opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, further deepening the country's political crisis.