South Korean president arrested over failed martial law bid

A first attempt on January 3 failed after a tense hours-long standoff with members of Yoon’s official Presidential Security Service (PSS), who refused to budge when investigators tried to execute their warrant.

Yoon’s lawyer announced on Wednesday morning the President had agreed to speak to investigators and that he had decided to leave the residence to prevent a “serious incident”.

“President Yoon has decided to personally appear at the Corruption Investigation Office today,” Seok Dong-hyeon said on Facebook, adding that Yoon would also deliver a speech.

But investigators announced shortly after that Yoon had been arrested.

“The Joint Investigation Headquarters executed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol today (January 15) at 10.33am (0130 GMT),” they said in a statement.

AFP reporters earlier witnessed brief scuffles at the gate, where Yoon’s die-hard supporters had been camped out to protect him, as authorities first moved on the compound.

Lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party also rushed to the area in an apparent bid to defend him, AFP reporters saw.

His supporters were heard chanting “illegal warrant!” while waving glow sticks and South Korean and American flags. Some lay on the ground outside the residential compound’s main gate.

Police and CIO officers began forcibly removing them from the entrance to the residence while around 30 lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party also blocked investigators, Yonhap News TV reported.

Yoon’s guards had installed barbed wire and barricades at the residence, turning it into what the opposition called a “fortress”.

Because of the tense situation, police decided not to carry firearms but only to wear bulletproof vests for the new attempt on Wednesday, in case they were met by armed guards, local media reported.

Following his arrest, Yoon can be held for up to 48 hours on the existing warrant. Investigators would need to apply for another arrest warrant to keep him in custody.

Yoon’s legal team had repeatedly decried the warrant as illegal.

In a parallel probe, Yoon’s impeachment trial began on Tuesday with a brief hearing after he declined to attend.

Although his failure to attend – which his team has blamed on purported safety concerns – forced a procedural adjournment, the hearings will continue without Yoon, with the next set for Thursday.

– Agence France-Presse