In a landmark development in South Korean constitutional history, the country’s High-Ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office (Public Investigation Office) and police officers once again visited the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul in the early hours of Wednesday, January 15th, to carry out the arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk-yeol. It marks the first time in South Korea’s political history that a sitting president has been detained by investigative authorities.
According to the Public Investigation Office, at 10:33 a.m. local time, the arrest warrant against Yoon Suk-yeol was executed, and he was questioned regarding the temporary martial law he declared last month.
Reports from various South Korean media outlets indicate that the vehicles of the investigation team have left the presidential residence and headed towards the Public Investigation Office headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province.
This is the authorities’ second attempt to execute the arrest warrant, as the first attempt on January 3rd failed after a nearly six-hour standoff with the presidential security detail.
Prior to the operation, South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, issued a warning against any clashes during the execution of Yoon Suk-yeol’s arrest warrant, stating that those involved would be held accountable.
At 4:20 a.m. on Wednesday, approximately 3,000 police officers gathered in front of the presidential residence. Despite a standoff with the presidential security personnel lasting about two and a half hours, the investigative team managed to navigate through the three layers of barriers set up by the security personnel and proceed successfully. During the process, investigators had to use a ladder to climb over a bus.
By 8:15 a.m., they reached the nearest guard post to the presidential residence. Eventually, with the consent of South Korea’s Presidential Chief of Staff, Chung Jin-suk, and the president’s lawyer, Yoon Kap-keun, a few individuals were allowed to pass through the guard post and enter the residence.
The Public Investigation Office emphasized that there were no physical confrontations with security personnel during the execution of the arrest warrant.
As the arrest warrant was being carried out, a large crowd gathered outside the presidential residence. The police estimated that approximately 6,500 of Yoon Suk-yeol’s supporters were present to show their solidarity.
Among the crowd were around thirty lawmakers from the ruling party, the People Power Party (PPP).
Kim Gi-hyeon, a PPP lawmaker, stated: “The Public Investigation Office’s illegal execution of the arrest warrant has sparked public attention and confusion.”
On December 3rd last year, Yoon Suk-yeol briefly declared martial law, leading to his impeachment and subsequent suspension from the presidential office. His fate now lies in the hands of the Constitutional Court. The Court has begun deliberations on whether to officially remove him from office, dismiss the charges, and reinstate him.
Additionally, he faces charges of insurrection, one of the few criminal charges in South Korea that a president does not have immunity from.