South Korean investigators on Friday attempted to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law decree last month, as hundreds of his supporters gathered near his residence in Seoul and vowed to protect him.
About 20 investigators from the corruption investigation office for high-ranking officials and police officers were seen entering the gate of Yoon’s residence in Seoul to execute a warrant for his detention.
It was unclear whether the president would cooperate with authorities trying to detain him.
Yun said in a defiant New Year message to conservative supporters rallying outside his residence that he would “fight to the end” against “anti-state forces.” His lawyers have described the warrant for his detention as “invalid” and “illegal”.
The anti-corruption agency did not immediately confirm whether investigators had successfully entered Yoon’s residential building. South Korea’s YTN television reported that scuffles broke out as investigators and police clashed with presidential security forces.
Anti-corruption agency investigators were seen loading boxes into several vehicles before leaving their building in Gwacheon city early in the morning. Television footage later showed some of those vehicles moving among police buses that had tightly packed and barricaded the streets near Yoon’s residence.
A Seoul court on Tuesday issued a warrant for Yoon’s detention after he dodged multiple requests to appear for questioning and blocked a search of his office in Seoul, hampering the investigation into whether the Dec. 3 His declaration of martial law was tantamount to rebellion.
The warrant is valid for a week, and investigators may make another attempt to detain Yoon if they are unable to do so on Friday.
Protestors at Yun’s house
Thousands of police officers converged on Yoon’s residence and surrounded the growing number of pro-Yoon protesters, who waved South Korean flags and chanted slogans in support of him. There were no immediate reports of clashes.
If Yoon is detained, the anti-corruption agency will have 48 hours to investigate him and either request a warrant for his formal arrest or release him. Yun’s defense minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested for their roles in the martial law declaration.
Yun’s lawyers have argued that the court’s detention warrant is invalid, claiming the anti-corruption agency lacks the legal authority to investigate the rebellion allegations. They also accused the court of bypassing a law that says locations potentially involving military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the consent of the person in charge.
One of Yoon’s lawyers, Yoon Kap-kyun, called investigators’ efforts to detain the president illegal and said they planned to take unspecified legal steps against the anti-corruption agency.
Oh Dong-woon, chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption agency, had indicated that police could be deployed if the Presidential Security Service opposed the detention.
But Yoon’s legal team issued a statement on Thursday warning that any attempt by the anti-corruption agency to use police to detain him would exceed their legal authority. The lawyers said that if police tried to detain Yoon he could face arrest by “the Presidential Security Service or any civilian”. He did not elaborate.
South Korean law allows arrest of anyone attempting to prevent an active crime, and critics accused Yoon of inciting his supporters to obstruct efforts to detain him.
legal challenge
Presidential lawyer Yoon Kap-kyun filed a challenge to the Seoul Western District Court on Thursday to block both the detention warrant for Yoon Suk Yeol and the related search warrant for his residence. The lawyer argued that both warrants violated criminal laws and the Constitution.
The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which rejected the legislative vote to impeach Yoon Suk Yeol when he imposed martial law on December 14, accused the president of trying to organize his supporters to prevent his detention and violate the law. Called upon the enforcement officers to immediately execute the warrant. ,
Braving extremely low temperatures, thousands of Yoon’s supporters rallied for hours near his residence amid a heavy police presence on Thursday, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting, “We will protect President Yoon Suk Yeol !” Authorities cleared some protesters lying on the road leading to the entrance of Yun’s residence, but there were no immediate reports of major clashes.
Some experts believe the anti-corruption agency, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military officials, will not risk clashing with the Presidential Security Service, which has said it will provide security to Yun in accordance with the law. Will do. If the office is not able to execute the detention warrant by the January 6 deadline, it may issue another summons to Yoon to appear for questioning.
Yun’s presidential powers were suspended following a National Assembly vote to impeach him upon imposing martial law on 14 December, which lasted only a few hours but triggered several weeks of political turmoil, with high-level diplomacy halted. And there was turmoil in the financial markets. Yoon’s fate now depends on the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him.
To formally end Yun’s presidency, at least six justices of the nine-member Constitutional Court would have to vote in favor.
Prime Minister impeached
The National Assembly also voted last week to impeach Prime Minister Han Duk-soo, who is acting after Yoon’s powers were suspended due to his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies before the court reviews Yoon’s case. Became President.
Facing mounting pressure, the new acting president, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, appointed two new judges on Tuesday, potentially increasing the chances that the court will uphold Yoon’s impeachment.
Martial law imposed by Yun ended after only six hours when the National Assembly voted 190–0 to lift it, despite attempts by heavily armed soldiers to prevent them from voting.
Yoon has defended his martial law decree as a necessary act of governance, portraying it as a temporary warning against the Democratic Party, which he described as a “state-of-the-art” that hindered his agenda with its legislative majority. Described as an “opposing” force.