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Investigators seek to arrest Yoon for his failed attempt to impose martial law
Suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol remains defiant at his newly fortified residence, with the arrest warrant against his brief martial law order set to expire on Monday.
Yoon’s security team, which prevented investigators from arresting him on Friday, installed barbed wire and barricaded the complex with buses over the weekend, to prevent another attempt.
Yoon had ignored several summons to appear for questioning on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, before investigators showed up at his residence – only to call off their operation after a six-hour standoff with security services presidential elections.
Investigators could try to extend their mandate. They told the BBC they had asked police to execute him, hoping their efforts would carry more weight.
Public anger has intensified in recent weeks, as thousands of protesters braved heavy snowfall this weekend, both for and against Yoon.
South Korea has been in crisis for a month, since Yoon attempted to impose martial law citing threats from the North and “anti-state forces.” The fallout continues with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul, seeking to stabilize relations ahead of Donald Trump’s presidency.
An imminent deadline
Time is almost up for investigators pursuing the criminal case against Yoon.
Yoon’s lawyers said his arrest warrant was “illegal” because anti-corruption investigators did not have the authority to oversee a matter as serious as an insurrection.
This, along with the fact that Yoon remains a sitting president before the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment, was cited by the presidential security team for blocking Yoon’s arrest.
“For the PSS, whose primary mission is the absolute security of the president, complying with the execution of an arrest warrant in the midst of ongoing legal disputes would amount to abandoning its duty,” the service chief said on Sunday. security guard Park Jong-joon. denied accusations that his team served as a “private militia” for Yoon.
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Yoon waits for arrest deadline behind barbed wire and buses
Yoon’s lawyers, who filed a lawsuit Monday against investigators following the attempted arrest, said Yoon was “virtually detained in his residence.”
They had also filed an injunction against the warrant, which was rejected by the court, although they said they planned to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, interim President Choi Sang-mok resisted opposition calls to fire top security officials who obstructed the arrest.
The BBC understands that opposition MPs have asked investigators to try again to arrest Yoon, but “with more firmness and with sufficient means”.
Investigators could also request a new detention warrant, which must be approved by a judge. This would allow Yoon to be detained for up to 20 days, while an arrest warrant only allows him to be detained for 48 hours.
But without a change in the situation or their approach, it seems unlikely that investigators or police will be able to make the arrest.
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Protesters braved the cold and heavy snow to demand Yoon’s arrest.
As seen last Friday, they could again be blocked by the presidential security services who have formed a “human wall” to protect Yoon. He himself pledged to “fight to the end”, which divided public opinion and stimulated his supporters, who have been demonstrating for days in front of his home.
The tense standoff has also raised pressing questions about the strength and effectiveness of South Korea’s political and legal institutions.
Diplomatic headwinds
And this also has consequences beyond domestic politics.
Until last month, the Biden administration had sung Yoon’s praises, delighting in his willingness to work with Washington to address security threats posed by North Korea and China. The United States has put a lot of effort into helping South Korea repair its strained relations with Japan, so that the three countries can resolve these issues together.
Mr. Blinken’s current visit to Seoul, where he will meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Monday, therefore comes at a difficult time for these two allies.
Yoon did not inform the United States of his intention to impose martial law, meaning Washington had no opportunity to dissuade him and was unprepared for the chaos that followed.
Blinken will not want to be influenced by the current political situation. He will instead want to focus on preserving trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo beyond Biden’s term.
But it is difficult to disentangle the domestic and geopolitical situations. South Korea could be months away from electing a new president, who may be willing to break with Yoon’s foreign policy.
Likewise, Trump, who will enter the White House in a fortnight, will also pursue his own agenda.
Additional reporting by Hosu Lee and Leehyun Choi in Seoul
