Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was charged with treason after he tried to declare martial law in December.
His ill-fated attempt to impose martial law plunged the country into an unprecedented political crisis and he became the first sitting president in South Korean history to be impeached for a crime.
The case comes after a Seoul court rejected a request to extend Yoon’s detention on Saturday, meaning prosecutors must decide whether to charge or release him before Monday.
“The punishment of the leader of the opposition party is now finally beginning,” Han Min-soo, a spokesman for the opposition Democratic Party, said at a press conference.
Separately, the Constitutional Court has begun debating whether to legally dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him.
The ousted president strongly refused to cooperate with criminal investigation upon the declaration of martial law.
Yoon will stand trial along with the former defense minister and senior military commanders, who are accused of helping him plan and execute an attempt to seize absolute power.
In an unprecedented televised announcement on December 3, Yoon said he was calling for martial law to protect the country from “anti-national” forces sympathetic to North Korea.
At the time, the embattled leader was embroiled in a budget bill, which was plagued by corruption scandals and several of his cabinet ministers were under investigation.
The military announced that all parliamentary activities had been suspended and demanded control over media channels.
The leader of the opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, called on people to protest in the National Assembly and asked other lawmakers to vote quickly to overturn the order.
Less than two hours after Yoon’s announcement, the 190 lawmakers in attendance – including some from the president’s party – voted unanimously to block it.
Soldiers armed with guns were seen entering the parliament building through broken windows as a wave of handcuffs erupted.
Thousands of citizens gathered in front of the meeting and tried to stop the soldiers.
Yoon was impeached in parliament and suspended from his post on December 14.
The issue has caused South Korea’s worst political crisis in decades and has created divisions in the country.
Most of his ardent fans have met him. On Friday, tens of thousands gathered to protest, demanding his release and reinstatement.
If Yoon is removed from office, a presidential election will be held within 60 days.
The prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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