The authorities canceled this Friday the operation to detain South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol for interrogation for declaring martial law in December due to the obstruction of his security service at his residence in Seoul.
Officials from the Office for Corruption Investigations of High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the Police entered the presidential residence in Seoul this Friday to execute the temporary detention order against South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol , for his imposition of martial law.
“We have begun to execute an arrest warrant against President Yoon,” the CIO said in a statement after the president’s followers had to be dispersed the day before after trying to block access to the residence.
The Yonhap agency reported that the team that went to the complex, made up of about 30 members of the CIO and about 120 police officers, had a confrontation with a military unit that protects the perimeter and that is believed to belong to the Capital Defense Command ( only unit of the Armed Forces that responds directly to the head of State).
Eventually, some 80 troops (70 police officers have remained deployed at the entrance to the residence) have overcome military control and have accessed the premises, where they are dealing with the presidential security service to enforce both the arrest warrant and the search warrant that they have in their power.
Yoon’s security forces have so far denied permission for the residence to be inspected for evidence related to the declaration of martial law on December 3, Yonhap added.
For days, hundreds or even thousands of the president’s acolytes have remained in the surroundings of the presidential residence in the Hannam neighborhood, ensuring that they will not allow the arrest of the president and accusing Parliament, which is controlled by the opposition and which dismissed to the president on December 14 by martial law, if it was the result of rigged elections.
Many have pointed out that the execution of the order, obtained on Tuesday by investigators after Yoon ignored three subpoenas to testify on account of the state of emergency, could come this Friday, since it expires on Monday and the weekend is expected to be completed. The number of the president’s followers outside the residence increases, complicating operations.
Yoon’s lawyers have requested a court order to annul the arrest warrant, arguing that only the Prosecutor’s Office can request that type of arrest, and have insisted that it is “illegal” after learning that the authorities were inside the premises.
The lawyers had warned of clashes with the presidential security service if an attempt was made to arrest the president, the first in South Korea to face arrest while still in office.
In case they can arrest him, the joint team made up of the CIO, the police and the Ministry of National Defense has 48 hours to interrogate Yoon and even request an order to extend the detention if they believe it is necessary.
Yoon, who has been prohibited from leaving the country, is, after his parliamentary dismissal, waiting for the Constitutional Court to decide between now and next June whether to reinstate him or permanently dismiss him.
