By Hyunsoo Yim and Joo-Min Park
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean authorities investigating impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol tried to enter his residence on Wednesday morning in a new attempt to arrest him on rebellion charges related to the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. done
Video footage shows hundreds of police officers, some with ladders and wire cutters, marching down the road leading to his mountain villa, where Yun has been holed up for weeks, guarded by a small army of personal security.
Investigators arrested the acting head of Yun’s Presidential Security Service, who had foiled a previous attempt to arrest him on Jan. 3, Yonhap news agency reported.
As local news broadcasters reported that Yun’s arrest could be imminent, there were minor clashes between tearful pro-Yun protesters and police near the residence, according to a Reuters witness at the scene.
Police said they had deployed 3,200 officers to carry out the arrest on Wednesday at Yun’s residence, where hundreds of pro-Yun protesters and members of his People Power party had also gathered before dawn in sub-zero temperatures.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok said in a statement on Wednesday, “As I have repeatedly emphasized the need to prevent physical confrontation between state agencies … I will strictly punish those responsible if unfortunate incidents occur.” Will stay with.”
Yun’s declaration of martial law stunned South Koreans and plunged one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies into an unprecedented period of political turmoil.
An arrest warrant has been issued against a sitting South Korean president. Yun’s lawyers have argued that the attempts to arrest him are illegal and designed to publicly humiliate him.
Separately, the Constitutional Court is considering whether to uphold a vote by lawmakers to impeach Yun and permanently remove him from office.
‘Nowhere to Run’
The latest arrest attempt gripped the nation with hundreds of thousands tuning in to South Korean broadcasters’ live feeds on YouTube since before dawn.
Anti-corruption unit officers leading the investigation approached the residence at 4 a.m. (1900 GMT).
By then, hundreds of pro-Yun protesters were already there, some wrapped in foil blankets and others waving flags that read “Stop Theft” in reference to Yun’s unsubstantiated claims of election fraud – a cause he has championed in his short term. was given to justify the marshal of Law declaration.
“If the president is arrested, I will be heartbroken,” said Jang Kyong-sun, 64, a Yoon supporter who traveled to Seoul from eastern Gangwon Province to protest his arrest.
“He basically declared martial law for the country and the people.”
The opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament after a landslide victory in last year’s legislative elections, issued a statement calling on Yun to comply with the arrest.
“There is no place to run now,” the party said.
Cho Sun-ah, 51, was among another group of people who rallied near Yoon’s residence in support of authorities’ efforts to arrest Yoon.
“I don’t think it is right for the leader of the rebellion to continue with an arrest warrant issued with impunity. The law should be equal for all and it is not right even if it is the president,” he said.
Yun’s lawyers have said the arrest warrant is illegal because it was issued by a court in the wrong jurisdiction and the team formed to investigate him had no legal mandate to do so.
The team executing the arrest warrant – made up of senior officers (CIOs) and the Corruption Investigation Office for the police – obtained the reissued warrant on January 7 and held several meetings with Yoon’s personal security to ensure it was issued. A successful execution.
Oh Dong-woon, head of the CIO leading the investigation, has said authorities will do whatever it takes to bring Yoon into custody.
