South Korean investigators make second attempt to detain impeached president


Authorities suspend investigation South Korea President Yun Seok-yeol arrived at his residence on Wednesday in the second attempt to detain him under the ill-fated martial law he declared last month.

According to Reuters, police dispatched some 3,200 officers to the president’s sprawling hillside estate in Seoul, where he has been hiding for weeks surrounded by private security personnel.

Video shows police approaching Yin’s home, According to Reutershundreds of his supporters have gathered there to protest on his behalf. They were reportedly seen pushing a group of people earlier.

Impeached South Korean president avoids arrest after hour-long standoff

Military guards faced off with presidential security personnel for six hours on January 3, after an earlier attempt to arrest Yin was called off.

“As I have repeatedly stressed, there is a need to prevent physical conflicts between state agencies,” Acting President Choi Sang-mok said in a statement on Wednesday. “If an unfortunate incident occurs, I will strictly hold those involved accountable.”

Yin Xiyeol’s speech

Authorities are making a second attempt to detain suspended South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol after declaring martial law last month. (South Korean Presidential Office, AP, File)

Execution of Yin’s arrest warrant has proven difficult for investigators, as the president’s legal advisers have insisted that it would be impossible to execute the warrant under laws prohibiting searches of locations that may be related to military secrets without consent.

Yin’s lawyers also denounced such an arrest warrant as an illegal means of publicly humiliating him.

Arrest warrant issued for impeached South Korean president as political crisis deepens

This is the first time in history that an arrest warrant has been issued for a sitting president of South Korea. The warrant for Yoon’s arrest stems from his declaration of martial law on December 3 in apparent frustration with the opposition-dominated parliament’s refusal to pass key items on his political agenda.

The move was condemned both inside and outside South Korea, with analysts expressing shock at the sudden and unprecedented move. One of the most stable democracies in Asia.

Police approach Yin's residence

Police, along with investigators from the Office for the Investigation of Senior Officials’ Corruption, closed in on President Yoon Seok-yeol’s home in Seoul, South Korea. (Reuters/Kim Hongji)

Parliament unanimously rejected Yoon’s statement and subsequently suspended him on December 14 in a vote of 204 to 85, which included members of his own party.

If the Constitutional Court supports the motion with a three-quarters majority, Yoon will be formally impeached.

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The next court hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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