SEOUL, Jan 15: The anti-corruption agency of South Korea has announced the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning, marking a significant development in a political crisis that has unfolded following his controversial martial law decree last month.
On Wednesday morning, Yoon departed from his residence in a convoy with investigators, becoming the first sitting president in South Korea to face arrest, as reported by CNN.
He is being pursued for questioning in several cases linked to his brief declaration, including allegations of inciting an insurrection, which carries severe penalties such as life imprisonment or even the death sentence.
For weeks, the beleaguered president has remained inside his fortified residence, guarded by his Presidential Security Service team, evading arrest amid multiple probes and an impending impeachment trial, according to a CNN report.
The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), along with police and the defense ministry, has been investigating Yoon and previously tried to detain him earlier this month; however, their efforts failed after a lengthy standoff where soldiers and presidential security personnel hindered around 80 police and investigators from accessing the presidential compound.
Following his detention, Yoon released a pre-recorded video message on Wednesday, reiterating that the investigations against him are “illegal” and asserting that “the law is all broken in this country.”
He stated, “As a president who is obliged to uphold the constitution and legal framework of the Republic of Korea, responding to these unlawful and invalid actions should not be seen as an acknowledgment of them, but rather as an attempt to avert unnecessary bloodshed.”
Reports indicate that the warrant issued allows investigators to hold Yoon for a maximum of 48 hours. The CIO must seek permission for an arrest warrant within this timeframe to extend his detention.
Demonstrators could be heard shouting “resign,” “your time is up,” and “take responsibility,” while supporters of the embattled president chanted “invalid impeachment,” “free ROK, hurrah!” and “we won!”
Police officers maintained their presence in the area, with a combination of police and protest buses lined up outside the residence, effectively blocking the street.
Earlier this month, a court authorized a warrant for the president’s detention after he, a former prosecutor, ignored three requests from investigators for his cooperation, according to the CIO. (UNI)
