Explaining failed attempt to arrest South Korean president

After a dramatic six-hour standoff with security guards, police canceled an attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Seok-yeol.

The military and Yun Security Forces members formed a human wall and used vehicles to block the arrest team’s path, local media outlet Yonhap News Agency reported.

Rep. Yoon is being investigated on charges of abusing his power and inciting a civil war while trying to declare martial law in early December last year.

Although it was short-term, it led to a political crisis, with Rep. Yoon impeached and suspended from office by the opposition party-led National Assembly.

Seoul court A warrant has been issued for your arrest. This was after he ignored three summons to appear for questioning earlier this week.

If successful, former President Yoon would have become the first sitting president to be arrested in Korean history.

Dozens of police cars lined up on the street in front of Yoon’s home in downtown Seoul starting early Friday morning.

At around 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT), an arrest team consisting of police and CIO marched towards the building.

The operation started with a 20-strong team, but soon grew to around 150 people. Nonetheless, they were outnumbered.

About half the team was able to get inside, but they were trapped for hours with security guards still supposed to protect Yun despite being stripped of his power, and military units protecting the city. seoul.

At one point, Minister Yoon’s security team had a “confrontation” with investigative officers, an official at South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.

Last month, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which had been investigating Mr. Yoon’s short-term declaration of martial law, said, “We have determined that arrest is virtually impossible.”

The CIO said Yoon’s “refusal of legal proceedings” was “extremely regrettable” and added that “next steps will be decided after review.”

Candidate Yoon’s supporters, who had been camped out in front of the Blue House for several days, cheered with song and dance when the suspension was announced. “We won!” they sang a song

The CIO said concerns about the safety of the team on scene were another factor in the decision to call off the arrest attempt.

Considering that Mr. Yoon resisted throughout the investigation process, this development is not unexpected.

Experts say that former Chief Prosecutor Yoon is well aware of the legal loopholes that could allow him to defend himself.

Investigators have until Jan. 6 to arrest him before the current warrant expires.

This means they could try to arrest Yoon again over the weekend, but that could be logistically difficult as the crowds are likely to swell.

They could also apply for a new warrant and try to detain him again.

Mr Yun’s security team told news agencies they were ‘negotiating’ with investigators trying to reach the president before the attempt was thwarted.

Yonhap News reported that the police filed a criminal complaint against Assistant Director Yoon and his assistants and summoned them for investigation.

Mr. Yoon’s legal team was also seen entering the home shortly after 12 noon local time.

Attorney Yoon Gap-geun previously announced that he would take legal action by requesting an arrest warrant, saying that investigators lacked the authority to detain him.

Meanwhile, Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Rep. Yoon for not defending his claims. We promise to fulfill our legal and political responsibilities. Because of his failed attempt at martial law.

Mr. Park said, “(It) was a complete lie,” and urged the Corruption Investigation Office to arrest Mr. Yoon again today.

The CIO, which has been in operation for only four years, was created in response to public anger over former President Park Geun-hye and her excesses. She was impeached by the National Assembly in December 2016 and removed from office three months later.

But the scope of the CIO’s jurisdiction has been challenged by other agencies, and the CIO’s failure to deal with Mr. Yoon could be seen as an embarrassing loss.

South Korea has been plunged into political turmoil since martial law was declared on December 3. A major rift has opened up in the National Assembly between Rep. Yoon and the forces seeking to oust him.

Protests day and night reached their peak on December 14, when the opposition-dominated National Assembly passed a vote to impeach Prosecutor General Yoon. This was the second attempt after a majority of ruling party lawmakers boycotted the first vote.

Two weeks later, Congress voted to impeach his successor. Acting Chairman Han Deok-soo – This is the first time that an acting president has been impeached since South Korea became a democratic country.

One candidate was supposed to lead the country out of political turmoil, but opposition lawmakers claimed he was rejecting calls to complete Yoon’s impeachment process.

In a brief declaration on Friday, prosecutors indicted Army Chief of Staff Park An-soo, who was appointed martial law commander, and Special Forces Commander Kwak Jong-geun on charges of sedition, Seoul Yonhap News reported.

They will be tried while in prison.

Additional reporting from Jake Kwon in Seoul