South Korean investigators abandoned their attempt to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence on Friday regarding a failed martial law decree, citing safety concerns following a standoff with his security team.
Yoon, who has already been suspended from duty by lawmakers, would have made history as the first sitting president in South Korea to be arrested if the warrant were carried out. The president, who issued a controversial declaration on December 3 that shook the vibrant democracy, now faces potential imprisonment or, at worst, the death penalty.
“Due to the ongoing standoff, the execution of the arrest warrant became effectively impossible,” the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), investigating Yoon’s martial law decree, said in a statement.
“Concerns for the safety of personnel on-site led to the decision to halt the arrest attempt,” the statement noted, describing the confrontation with Yoon’s presidential security service and its military unit.
Approximately 20 investigators and 80 police officers were heavily outnumbered by around 200 soldiers and security personnel blocking their way after entering the presidential compound, according to a CIO official.
“I understand there were physical altercations,” the official said, adding that buses and cars were also used to block access.
Negotiations ultimately faltered, and the investigators decided to leave for their team’s safety, though a renewed attempt at executing the warrant could take place after a review, the official added.
— ‘Unlawful and invalid’ —
The deadline for the warrant is Monday, leaving it in limbo with only a few days remaining as Yoon remains defiant, vowing this week to “fight” the authorities.
Yoon’s security service, which continues to protect him as the country’s sitting head of state, has previously blocked attempted police raids of the presidential office. The president himself has ignored three summonses from investigators, prompting them to seek the warrant.
Yoon’s legal team, who rushed to the residence and were allowed inside, argued that police had no authority to execute the warrant at a “first-class military secret protection facility.”
“We deeply regret today’s unlawful and invalid execution of arrest and search warrants,” Yoon Kab-keun, the president’s lawyer, said in a statement.
Dozens of police buses and thousands of officers were stationed outside the compound in central Seoul to prevent clashes after rival groups faced off there on Thursday, according to Yonhap news agency.
CIO officials had hoped to arrest Yoon for questioning, after which he could have been held for up to 48 hours under the existing warrant.
In a statement Friday, the investigators said they would ask new acting president, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who has been in power for just a week, to support the warrant.
— All-night prayers —
A handful of Yoon’s staunch supporters, including far-right YouTube personalities and evangelical Christian preachers, camped outside his compound, braving the bitter cold and holding all-night prayer sessions.
They chanted “Illegal warrant is invalid” as police and media gathered outside.
Lee Hye-sook, a 57-year-old supporter, claimed protesters were working to prevent opposition figures from “transforming our country into a socialist state, similar to North Korea.”
Yoon has insisted that the opposition is aligned with South Korea’s communist enemies.
His legal team had previously attempted to block the arrest warrant at the constitutional court.
CIO head Oh Dong-woon warned that anyone attempting to obstruct the arrest of Yoon could face prosecution.
Legal experts have raised concerns over Yoon’s refusal to comply with the court-issued warrant.
“A president, like any citizen, is equal under the law, and his failure to comply with a court-ordered warrant is a serious matter,” said Lee Jong-soo, a law professor at Yonsei University.
South Korean officials have failed to execute similar arrest warrants for lawmakers in the past—specifically in 2000 and 2004—due to supporters blocking police from enforcing the warrants.
Yoon also faces a separate Constitutional Court hearing to confirm or reject his impeachment by parliament.
Seoul announced Friday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit for talks with his South Korean counterpart on Monday, the same day the warrant expires.
In rare comments on South Korea’s political turmoil, North Korean state media described Seoul as being in “political chaos” over attempts to arrest Yoon.
