Attempt to detain South Korean president failed

Investigators have halted their efforts to detain impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, following an impasse that lasted more than five hours as Yoon’s presidential security service barred them from entering his residence to execute their warrant.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) — the law enforcement agency that had requested a detention and search warrant for Yoon after his botched attempt to institute martial law on Dec. 3.

Yoon, who was suspended from office but has not been removed following his Dec. 14 impeachment, is under criminal investigation into allegations of insurrection and abuse of power in relation to the decree. He has repeatedly ignored summonses in the investigation into his actions.

The agency’s decision followed a dramatic morning when investigators briefly scuffled with security service officers who were blocking their entry to Yoon’s residence, raising concerns that the situation might have turned violent. 

Yoon, a political novice whose fall was as swift as his ascent, is the first sitting president in South Korea’s democratic history to face arrest.

Source: Agencies