Authorities in South Korea sought to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, as protesters gathered outside his residence to block any attempt at arrest.
Yoon is under criminal investigation for insurrection due to his short-lived martial law attempt on December 3. An arrest would be unprecedented for a sitting South Korean president.
Officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), leading a joint team with police and prosecutors, arrived at Yoon’s residence gate at 7 am (2200 GMT Thursday), according to Reuters witnesses.
Yonhap News Agency reported that about 3,000 police had been mobilized in preparation. It was unclear whether the Presidential Security Service, which had blocked access to Yoon’s office and official residence by investigators with a search warrant, would attempt to stop the arrest.
Protesters gathered early in the morning near Yoon’s residence, with numbers growing into the hundreds as media reports indicated authorities would soon execute the arrest warrant. Some protesters chanted, “President Yoon Suk Yeol will be protected by the people,” and called for the head of the CIO to be arrested.
Yoon shocked the nation on December 3 with a late-night announcement declaring martial law to resolve political deadlock and root out “anti-state forces.” Within hours, 190 lawmakers defied the security forces to vote against Yoon’s order, and six hours after his initial decree, Yoon rescinded it.
Yoon’s lawyers have argued that the arrest warrant is illegal and invalid, as the CIO did not have the authority under South Korean law to issue such a warrant.
Yoon has been isolated since his impeachment and suspension from power on December 14. In addition to the criminal investigation, his impeachment case is before the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to reinstate or permanently remove him. A second hearing is scheduled for later on Friday.
