Crowds of protesters gathered in central Seoul on Saturday demanding the immediate arrest of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. Yoon has been resisting attempts by investigators to question him for weeks and even defied a warrant to search his residence. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) withdrew its investigators after a nearly six-hour standoff with Yoon’s security guards and military troops. This confrontation has sparked an unprecedented political crisis in South Korea, leading to Yoon’s impeachment and criminal investigation.
Despite the demands for his arrest, Yoon’s supporters also held a demonstration in front of his residence in Seoul. The supporters have been braving freezing temperatures and waving South Korean and American flags, vowing to protect him. Yoon, a former prosecutor, has been adamant in his refusal to cooperate with investigators and has not left his residence since making a televised statement on 12 December. The National Police Agency plans to investigate the chief and deputy chiefs of the presidential security service for obstruction of official duty. The country’s anti-corruption agency has until 6 January to carry out Yoon’s arrest on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.
Yoon’s troubles began on 3 December when he declared martial law in frustration over blocked policies. The National Assembly quickly overturned the declaration and impeached Yoon on 14 December. This led to criminal investigations into the events, with a warrant issued to detain Yoon on 31 December. However, enforcing the warrant is complicated as long as Yoon remains in his official residence. His lawyers have challenged the warrant, citing a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.
Yoon has defended his martial law decree as necessary for governance, portraying it as a warning against the Democratic Party obstructing his agenda. Despite requests for questioning and the warrant for his arrest, Yoon remains defiant and has vowed to fight against efforts to oust him. The CIO anti-corruption agency has not indicated whether they will make another attempt to detain Yoon, as the warrant for his detention is only valid for one week. The political crisis in South Korea continues to unfold as protesters demand Yoon’s arrest while his loyal supporters stand by him in front of his residence.
