Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from jail on Saturday, a day after a court ruled that he could stand trial without physical detention over his failed attempt to impose martial law in December.

Waving to his supporters, Yoon walked out of the Seoul Detention Centre after spending 52 days in custody on charges of inciting an insurrection. Despite his release, impeachment and criminal trials against him will proceed.

Yoon’s release followed a decision by Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung not to appeal the court’s ruling.

Bowing deeply to his supporters, Yoon returned to his official residence in central Seoul on Saturday evening.

“I appreciate the court’s courage and determination in correcting the illegality,” Yoon said in a statement.

The court ruled in favor of Yoon’s request after finding that his January 26 indictment on insurrection charges—which had extended his detention—was filed hours after his initial detention period had already expired.

The legal dispute centered on a 10-day initial detention period, which excludes the time taken to send documents for a court review of his arrest warrant. This pushed the detention deadline to around 9 a.m. on January 26, while the prosecution indicted Yoon shortly before 7 p.m. that day.

Yoon’s legal team accused prosecutors of delaying his release by 27 hours after the court’s decision.

“The president’s release is not just about addressing an individual’s injustice, but the beginning of a difficult journey to restore the collapsed rule of law in this country,” the team said in a statement.

The ruling People Power Party welcomed Yoon’s release, urging the Constitutional Court to consider the ruling in its impeachment trial.

“It is a just decision, and the party hopes it serves as an opportunity to correct the distorted rule of law,” party spokesperson Shin Dong-wook stated, according to Yonhap News Agency.

In contrast, the main opposition Democratic Party criticized the prosecution for deepening the nation’s crisis with Yoon’s release. It called on the Constitutional Court to officially impeach him in its upcoming ruling.

The top court is expected to decide later this month whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him, following the conclusion of hearings on February 25.