Investigators from South Korea appeared on Wednesday morning local time (Tuesday evening in Poland) in front of the residence of the detained President Jung Suk-jeol, who is under investigation in connection with the imposition of martial law. After several hours of deadlock, they arrested the former president.
Jun is the first sitting president of South Korea to be arrested while in power.
The investigators, who came to his house, presented the arrest warrant issued on January 7. Jun’s lawyers had a lengthy discussion with the police. Just after 5:30 local time (21:30 Polish time) Corruption Bureau (CIO) officers made a brief attempt to force entry into the apartment, which led to a small scuffle.
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At 8 a.m. local time (midnight Polish time), police and investigators passed the first cordon of people seeking access to his home in Seoul. The officers had ladders with them to help them clear the walls near Jun’s headquarters.
Investigators entered Juna’s apartment YONHAP/PAP/EPA
In the end, the president’s security service – after a brief negotiation with the highest-ranking anti-corruption office (CIO) officers – opened the gate to Jung’s compound in Seoul’s Yongsan district. Black SUVs were pulling in.
According to Yonhap news agency, Jun’s representatives discussed the president’s voluntary presence, but the CIO rejected the possibility.
Around 10 am local time (2 am Polish time) a group of investigators entered the residence. These services confirmed that the arrest warrant for the temporarily detained president was officially executed on Wednesday at 10:33 local time (2:33 in Poland). The politician was then taken to the CIO headquarters, where further action was taken. The CIO now has 48 hours to interrogate Jun, after which they must issue a detention order for him for up to 20 days or release him.
Jun Suk Jeol Toby Melville – WPA Pool/Getty Images
The media broadcast Jun’s statement, which was recorded at the apartment in the morning, in which he stated that neither the authorities investigating his case nor the court that issued the arrest warrants had the authority to do so.
“I have decided to appear before the CIO, even though it is an illegal investigation, to avoid bloodshed,” he said, adding that “but that does not mean I agree with their investigation.” He concluded by saying that “although these are dark days (…) the future of this country is full of hope”.
Arrest warrant for the president
On December 31, the court issued an arrest warrant in connection with the investigation into the imposition of martial law by the president in early December.
On Tuesday, Jung Suk-jeol did not appear at the Constitutional Court hearing in his impeachment trial.
Main photo source: YONHAP/PAP/EPA
