South Korean investigators abandon efforts to arrest the ousted president after an hours-long standoff

Seoul, South Korea – South Korean investigators left the official residence of deposed President Yeon Suk-yul after a standoff that lasted nearly six hours, during which he defied their attempt to arrest him. It is the latest confrontation in a political crisis that has paralyzed South Korean politics and witnessed Two heads of state were removed In less than a month.

The country’s anti-corruption agency said it withdrew its investigators after the presidential security service prevented them from entering Yoon’s home for hours over concerns for their safety.

The agency said its outnumbered investigators clashed several times with presidential security forces, and expressed “deep regret over the behavior of the suspect who did not comply with legal procedures.”

The National Police Agency said it intends to investigate the head and deputy heads of the Presidential Security Service on suspicion of obstructing official duty and summoned them for questioning on Saturday.

Yoon, a former prosecutor, defied investigators’ attempts to question him for weeks. The last time he left the headquarters was on December 12, when he went to the nearby presidential office to make a televised statement to the nation, where he made a defiant statement that he would fight efforts to oust him.

Investigators from the country’s anti-corruption agency are examining charges of rebellion after Yoon apparently became frustrated with the opposition-dominated parliament’s ban on his policies. Martial law was declared on 3 December Forces were sent to surround the National Assembly.

Parliament rescinded the declaration within hours in a unanimous vote and impeached Yoon on December 14, accusing him of rebellion, while South Korean anti-corruption authorities and prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events.

A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon on Tuesday, but its implementation is complicated as long as he remains at his official residence.

Yoon’s lawyers, who filed an appeal against the arrest order on Thursday, say it cannot be carried out at his residence because of a law that protects sites potentially linked to military secrets from being searched without the consent of the person responsible.

The office said it would discuss further action, but did not immediately say whether it would make another attempt to detain Yoon. His arrest order is valid for one week.

Yoon’s lawyers also claimed that the Senior Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military investigators, lacks the authority to investigate accusations of mutiny. They said police officers did not have the legal authority to help arrest Yoon, and could face arrest by “the Presidential Security Service or any citizen.” They did not provide further details about this claim.

If investigators are able to arrest Yoon, they will likely ask the court for permission to make an official arrest. Otherwise, he will be released after 48 hours.

Park Chan-dae, leader of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, called the anti-corruption agency’s withdrawal regrettable and urged the agency to make another attempt to detain Yoon on Friday.

Kwon Young-se, who chairs the emergency leadership committee of Yoon’s conservative People Power Party, called the agency’s efforts to detain Yoon “extremely unfair and extremely inappropriate,” saying there was no risk that Yoon would try to flee or destroy evidence.

Thousands of police officers gathered at Yoon’s residence on Friday, forming a perimeter around a growing group of pro-Yeon protesters who braved freezing temperatures for hours, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting slogans pledging to protect him. There were no immediate reports of major clashes outside the residence.

Dozens of investigators and police officers were seen entering the gate of the headquarters in Seoul to execute a warrant for Yoon’s arrest, but the dramatic scene quickly developed into a confrontation. Two of Yoon’s lawyers, Yoon Kab-keun and Kim Hong-il, were seen entering the gate of the presidential residence around noon. It was not immediately clear what the lawyers discussed with the president.

Seok Dong-hyun, another lawyer on Yoon’s legal team, said the agency’s efforts to detain Yoon were “reckless” and showed an “outrageous disregard for the law.”

The South Korean Ministry of Defense confirmed that investigators and police officers bypassed a military unit guarding the headquarters grounds before arriving at the building. The Presidential Security Service, which controls the headquarters itself, declined to comment. South Korean television YTN reported that scuffles broke out when investigators and police confronted presidential security forces.

As the standoff progressed, Democrats called on the country’s acting president, Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, to order the presidential security service to step down. Choi did not immediately comment on the situation.

“Don’t drag the upright employees of the Presidential Security Service and other government officials into the depths of crime,” said Democratic Representative Cho Seong-lae. Choe should “remember that it is your responsibility to quickly address the rebellion and prevent further chaos,” Choe said.

Yun’s defense minister, police chief and several senior military commanders have already been detained for their roles during the martial law period.

Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended since the National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14. Yoon’s fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. At least six judges on the nine-member Constitutional Court must vote in favor of his removal from office.

The National Assembly voted last week to impeach Prime Minister Han Dak-soo, who became acting president after Yoon’s powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three vacant positions on the Constitutional Court before the court reviews Yoon’s case.

Facing mounting pressure, new interim President Choi appointed two new judges on Tuesday, which could increase the chances of the court upholding Yoon’s removal.