Investigators fail to arrest Yoon Suk-yeol

Police officers and investigators leave impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's official residence, as investigators were unable to execute an arrest warrant on Friday for Yoon according to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, in Seoul, South Korea, January 3, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

South Korean investigators on Friday abandoned an attempt to execute an arrest warrant on Yoon Suk-yeol, the nation's impeached president, following an hourslong standoff with the presidential security service.

At about 8 am, investigators of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, or CIO, began to enforce the arrest warrant for Yoon at the presidential residence amid an investigation into his declaration of a short-lived martial law a month ago.

The officials were blocked by the presidential security service and a military unit inside the presidential residence, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"Due to continued confrontation, we decided that it was virtually impossible to execute the arrest warrant," the CIO said, noting that the execution of the warrant was suspended at 1:30 pm due to concerns about the safety of its on-site personnel.

"We deeply regret the attitude of the suspect who did not comply with the procedures under the law," the CIO said, adding that future measures will be decided after review.

Yoon is under investigation for insurrection over his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec 3. The CIO leads a joint investigation team that includes the police and the Defense Ministry.

The arrest warrant was granted by a Seoul court on Dec 31 to detain Yoon on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.

Yun Gap-geun, a lawyer of Yoon, said the warrant is illegal and invalid and thus the execution of the warrant is not lawful. He said legal action will be taken.

Yoon's defense team has filed with the Constitutional Court for an injunction to suspend the warrant, while an objection to the warrant's execution was also submitted to the Seoul Western District Court.

Noh Jong-myeon, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party, said mobilizing military forces to obstruct the execution of the arrest warrant is clearly "a second attempt of insurrection".

Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said all those who obstructed the execution of the arrest warrant should be arrested immediately and be regarded as accomplices of insurrection.

'Unreasonable attempt'

Meanwhile, Kweon Seongdong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, said the CIO should avoid the "unreasonable attempt" to arrest the incumbent president.

Kweon said the CIO does not have the legal authority to investigate Yoon on suspicion of insurrection as only the police have the authority to do so.

As the warrant is set to expire on Monday, observers said it is possible that the CIO will make another attempt to execute the warrant before the deadline.

But there are also concerns that more supporters of Yoon will gather near the presidential residence to protest the investigators' attempt.

Civil society groups and other organizations, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the country's largest union coalition, have called for the immediate arrest of Yoon.

If Yoon is arrested, the CIO will have 48 hours to seek another warrant for his formal detention or it will have to release him.

If the arrest is made, it would be the first in South Korean history for an incumbent president.

"We are very much in unprecedented territory. The CIO has to basically make decisions on a minute-by-minute basis," said Joung W Hwang, chief executive officer of legal consultancy Law-Quant in Seoul.

Though it is possible to charge the security forces who blocked the way to Yoon with obstruction of justice, it is likely that the CIO would want to avoid this situation, Hwang said in an interview with Arirang News, an English-language broadcast network in South Korea.

Also on Friday, the Constitutional Court said it will hold hearings for Yoon's impeachment trial on Jan 14 and 16.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit South Korea for talks next week amid the political turmoil.

Blinken will meet his counterpart Cho Tae-yul on Monday, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Friday.

Agencies contributed to this story.