South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been charged with insurrection after he attempted to declare martial law in December.

He becomes the first sitting president in South Korean history to be charged with a crime.The indictment comes after a court in Seoul rejected a request to extend Yoon’s detention on Saturday, which meant prosecutors had to make a decision on whether to charge or release him before Monday.

Separately, the Constitutional Court has begun deliberations on whether to formally dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him.

Yoon is set to stand trial along with his former defence minister and senior military commanders, who are accused of helping him plan and carry out the attempt to seize total power.

Yoon was was impeached by parliament and suspended from his duties on 14 December.The affair has triggered South Korea’s worst political crisis in decades and has polarised the country.

Many of his hard-line supporters have rallied around him. On Friday, tens of thousands gathered to protest, demanding he be released and returned to office.If Yoon is removed from office, a presidential election would be held within 60 days.