South Korean investigators arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol

SEOUL: South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday (Jan 15) over insurrection accusations related to his Dec 3 martial law declaration, investigators said, ending weeks of tense political standoff.

Since lawmakers voted to stand him down after his stunning, short-lived declaration of martial law, Yoon has been holed up at his hillside residence, guarded by a small army of personal security that blocked a previous arrest attempt.

His arrest, the first ever for an incumbent president, is the latest head-spinning development for one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies even though the country has a history of prosecuting and imprisoning former leaders.

Yoon’s presidential motorcade left the hillside residence and later arrived at the offices of the anti-corruption agency heading the probe.

“The Joint Investigation Headquarters executed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol today at 10.33am (0130 GMT),” authorities, who are probing Yoon on insurrection charges, said in a statement.

Authorities now have 48 hours to question Yoon, after which they must seek a warrant to detain him for up to 20 days or release him.

A defiant Yoon said he submitted himself for questioning to avoid any violence after more than 3,000 police officers marched on his residence to arrest him from the early hours on Wednesday.

“When I saw them break into the security area using firefighting equipment today, I decided to respond to the CIO’s investigation – despite it being an illegal investigation – to prevent unsavoury bloodshed,” Yoon said in a statement.

South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party said Wednesday that the arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was the beginning of restoring order to the country after weeks of political turmoil.

“The arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol is the first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy and the rule of law. Although overdue, it is truly fortunate to confirm that public authority and justice in South Korea are still alive,” floor leader Park Chan-dae told the party in a meeting.

Earlier, more than 3,000 police officers and anti-corruption investigators had gathered at Yoon’s residence before dawn, pushing through throngs of supporters and members of his ruling People Power Party protesting attempts to detain him.

Yoon’s lawyers have argued attempts to detain Yoon are illegal and are designed to publicly humiliate him. The warrant investigators secured for his arrest is the first ever issued against an incumbent South Korean president.

As local news broadcasters reported that Yoon’s detention may come soon, some minor scuffles broke out between tearful pro-Yoon protesters and police near the residence, according to a Reuters witness at the scene.

Yoon’s declaration of martial law stunned South Koreans and plunged one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies into an unprecedented period of political turmoil. Lawmakers voted to impeach him and remove him from duties on Dec 14.

Separately, the Constitutional Court is deliberating over to uphold that impeachment and permanently remove him from office.

“NO PLACE TO RUN”

The latest arrest attempt gripped the nation with hundreds of thousands glued to South Korean broadcasters’ live feeds on YouTube since before dawn.

Officers from the anti-corruption unit leading the investigation arrived near the residence at 4am local time.

By then there already were hundreds of pro-Yoon protesters, some wrapped in foil blankets and others waving flags bearing “Stop the Steal” slogans referring to Yoon’s unsubstantiated claims of election fraud – one of the reasons he gave to justify his short-lived martial law declaration.

“If the president is arrested, I will be heartbroken,” said Jang Kyoung-sun, 64, a Yoon supporter who had travelled from eastern Gangwon province to Seoul to protest his arrest.

“He declared martial law truly for the nation and the people.”

The opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in parliament after a landslide legislative election victory last year, issued a statement calling on Yoon to comply with the arrest.

“There is no place to run anymore,” the party said.

Cho Sun-ah, 51, was among another contingent of people rallying near his residence in support of authorities’ attempts to arrest Yoon.

“I don’t think it is right for the leader of an insurrection to stick it out like that despite the issuance of an arrest warrant without facing any punishment. The law should be equal for everyone and this isn’t right even if it’s the president,” he said.

Yoon’s lawyers have said the arrest warrant is illegal because it was issued by a court in the wrong jurisdiction and the team set up to investigate him had no legal mandate to do so.