SEOUL - South Korea's former spy agency chief was arrested Wednesday on charge of involvement in the now impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's botched martial law bid last December.

The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant to detain Cho Tae-yong, former director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), saying there was a risk of his destruction of evidence.

The warrant was sought by the team of Cho Eun-suk, special counsel leading an investigation into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, on charges of the NIS law violation, dereliction of duty, perjury, destruction of evidence, creation of false official documents and false testimony.

ALSO READ: South Korea delays decision on Google's request to export map data

Cho was suspected of failing to report the martial law plan to the National Assembly even though he was aware of it before Yoon's televised martial law declaration.

The former spy agency chief was also accused of falsely testifying at the parliament and the constitutional court.

Yoon was indicted under detention on Jan 26 as a suspected ringleader of insurrection.

The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon on April 4 over his failed martial law imposition, officially removing him from office.