South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence surrounded by authorities to execute arrest warrant
As the situation unfolded, South Korea’s acting president Choi Sang-mok warned government authorities against using violence.
“All the people and the international community are watching this,” he said in a statement. “We cannot tolerate physical violence for any purposes because it will irreparably damage the trust of the people and our international reputation.”
“I will sternly hold those responsible if unfortunate events occur.”
The fresh arrest attempt comes after an initial foiled attempt on January 3, which resulted in a more than week-long stand-off between investigators and the PSS, which has formed a ballast of defence around Yoon, helping to barricade him inside the residence.
Yoon supporters shout slogans during a Seoul rally opposing his impeachment.Credit: AP
On Friday, the chief of the PSS resigned after he submitted to police questioning over obstruction of public duty allegations for his role in blocking investigators from arresting Yoon.
Yoon has been suspended from his presidential duties since he was impeached by the opposition-dominated parliament on December 14 in response to his botched bid to impose martial law.
Instability drags on
The martial law decree, ordered by Yoon in frustration at the opposition stymying his political agenda and blocking budget legislation, shocked the country and plunged it into its worst political crisis in decades. It marked the first time South Korea had come under military rule since its transition to democracy in the late 1980s.
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Yoon withdrew the decree hours later after the parliament voted to reject it, and outraged protesters descended on the streets. But the instability has dragged on for more than a month, intensified by Yoon’s refusal to cooperate with authorities and the move by opposition MPs to impeach the acting president, Han Duck-soo, just two weeks after assuming duties from Yoon.
Yoon’s lawyer Yoon Kab-keun could be seen on Wednesday morning talking to investigating officials in black uniforms in front of Yoon’s compound, video footage showed.
Lawyers for Yoon have maintained the arrest warrant was illegal because it was issued by a court in the wrong jurisdiction, and the team set up to investigate him had no legal mandate to do so.
Oh Dong-woon, head of the CIO leading the investigation, has said authorities would do whatever it takes to bring Yoon into custody.
With agencies
