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South Korea’s former president has officially been released from prison after a court ruled his detention was unlawful.

Some shit you should know before you read: Back in December, former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in response to what he claimed was a national security threat posed by North Korea, a move that was widely condemned as an abuse of power. The National Assembly quickly overturned the decree, arguing that Yoon had unlawfully attempted to seize control of the government. In response, lawmakers led by the opposition Democratic Party voted to impeach Yoon. Shortly after, prosecutors charged him with insurrection, arguing that his brief imposition of martial law amounted to rebellion against the state, a serious offense that carries a potential death penalty or life imprisonment.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, a South Korean district court ordered the release of former President Yoon, ruling that his detention was flawed and violated legal protocols. The Seoul Central District Court determined that prosecutors had kept Yoon in custody beyond the legally allowed period before his indictment, making his continued imprisonment unlawful. This came after Yoon’s legal team argued that the investigative body handling his case lacked the proper authority to pursue insurrection charges against a sitting president, calling the arrest politically motivated.

In his first statement after being freed, Yoon thanked the court for its “courage” in “correcting illegality” and urged his supporters to end their hunger strikes protesting his impeachment. Prosecutors had one week to appeal the ruling but chose not to, allowing his release to proceed without further legal challenge.

His release ignited mixed reactions across South Korea, with tens of thousands taking to the streets in both support and opposition. Around 60,000 of his supporters rallied in Seoul’s major districts, chanting for his return to power. Meanwhile, roughly 30,000 anti-Yoon demonstrators gathered near the Constitutional Court, demanding that he be permanently removed from office.

Within the government, reactions were equally polarized. The opposition Democratic Party, which led the impeachment, condemned the prosecution’s decision not to appeal, calling them Yoon’s “henchmen” and accusing them of putting the country at risk.

Meanwhile, conservative lawmakers and Yoon’s allies welcomed the court’s decision, claiming it exposed flaws in the prosecution’s case and reinforced their argument that the impeachment was politically driven.