Seoul: Attempts to arrest the president are halted after confrontations

2025-01-03 08:44:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

South Korean investigators halted their efforts to arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence on Jan. 3 over the declaration of war, citing security concerns after a confrontation with his security team.

Yoon, who has already been suspended from his presidential duties following a vote by lawmakers, would become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested if the arrest warrant is implemented.

The president, who on December 3, 2024 announced the declaration of a state of war, an announcement that shook East Asian democracies and briefly restored military rule, faces impeachment or, in the worst case scenario, the death penalty.

"Regarding the execution of the arrest warrant today, it was determined that execution would be impossible due to the ongoing conflict," the Corruption Investigation Bureau, which is investigating Yoon over his martial law decision, said in a statement.

"Concerns for the safety of personnel on the ground led to the decision to halt" the arrest efforts, the statement said, adding that there had been confrontation with Yoon's presidential security service and his military unit.

The deadline for the execution of the arrest warrant is Monday, as Yoon said earlier this week that he will "fight" authorities who want to question him.

Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Bureau, including senior prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan, were earlier allowed to bypass the security cordon and enter the residence in an attempt to execute an arrest warrant for Yoon.

But the soldiers of the presidential security service were then involved "in a confrontation with the Office for Corruption Investigation at the presidential residence", a member of Seoul's general staff told AFP.

Yoon's security service - which still protects him as the country's president - had earlier blocked attempted police raids on the presidential office.

The president has ignored three calls from investigators, prompting them to request an arrest warrant.

Yoon's legal team has criticized efforts to enforce the warrant, warning that they will take further legal action against it.

"The execution of the arrest warrant, which is illegal and invalid, is actually illegal," said Yoon's lawyer, Yoon Kap-keun.

On Friday, prosecutors also filed charges against two senior military officials, including one who was appointed martial law commander, accusing them of mutiny, Yonhap reported. Both are already in custody.

Dozens of police buses and hundreds of police officers were seen in downtown Seoul. About 2,700 police were deployed to the area to stop the clashes, Yonhap reported, after Yoon's supporters clashed with anti-him protesters a day earlier.

South Korean media have reported that investigators wanted to arrest Yoon and send him to their offices for questioning.

After that, he could be sent to detention for 48 hours. Investigators would then have to seek another court order to keep him in custody.

Yoon also faces a separate hearing at the Constitutional Court, which will confirm or reject Parliament's vote to impeach the president.

In rare statements made regarding the political situation in the South, North Korea's state media said Friday that Seoul is in "political chaos"./REL