South Korean authorities called off their attempt to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday after a standoff with his security team, citing safety concerns. If carried out, Yoon would have been the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.
Yoon, who has already been suspended from office by lawmakers, faces charges related to his failed martial law decree from December, which temporarily disrupted the country’s democracy.
The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) announced that it could not proceed with the arrest due to the confrontation with the Presidential Security Service, which still guards Yoon as the country’s head of state. Yoon has ignored three previous summons from investigators, prompting them to seek a warrant for his detention.
Meanwhile, prosecutors indicted two senior military officials, including one who briefly served as the martial law commander during the December crisis. Both officers have been in detention since then and face charges of insurrection.
Heavy police presence was seen outside Yoon’s residence, with several buses and hundreds of officers deployed to manage potential clashes between Yoon’s supporters and protesters against him.
