Investigators encountered a tense standoff on Wednesday during their second attempt to arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief imposition of martial law, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency.
Officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) and police arrived at the presidential residence armed with search and detention warrants. However, they were blocked by the Presidential Security Service (PSS), which had erected a barricade of vehicles to prevent access. Adding to the standoff, members of the ruling People Power Party and Yoon’s legal team also obstructed the investigators’ progress at the entrance.
Despite police warnings that resistance to the warrants’ execution could lead to arrests, the situation remained at an impasse. Large crowds of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the residence, with initial police estimates suggesting around 6,500 demonstrators were present. To manage the escalating situation, authorities deployed approximately 3,000 officers in an effort to secure entry to the residence.
The warrants, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, stem from Yoon’s refusal to comply with three prior summonses for questioning related to his attempted imposition of martial law on December 3, 2024. These warrants, which were extended after their initial expiration, remain valid until January 21, 2025.
Yoon’s impeachment followed a vote in the National Assembly on December 2024, where lawmakers voted 204 to 85 in favor of his removal. The decision came after Yoon’s brief and controversial attempt to impose martial law, which led to widespread domestic and international condemnation. The impeachment required a two-thirds majority, and all 300 members of the assembly participated in the secret ballot, with three abstentions and eight invalid votes.
Since his impeachment, Yoon has been suspended from office, and this attempted arrest marks a significant development in South Korea’s political landscape. The standoff continues to draw national attention, with tensions mounting around the embattled former president.