South Korea latest: Investigators enter Yoon Suk Yeol’s compound to arrest impeached president
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Dozens of officers are in standoff with president’s secuirty forces as they execute arrest warrant. Investigators arrived at South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence today to arrest him but were confronted by presidential security forces as tensions once again escalated over his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December.
An arrest team comprising of 120 police officers and 30 officials from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) tried to enter the presidential palace after 7am local time to execute the arrest warrant. Mr Yoon is South Korea’s first sitting president to face arrest, after the CIO said on Tuesday that a Seoul court had granted the detention warrant sought by prosecutors investigating whether Mr Yoon’s shortlived declaration of martial law amounted to insurrection.
The arrest team was blocked by vehicles at the driveway and after some officers made entry they faced cordons of presidential security personnel, as well as military troops seconded to presidential security, media reported. Mr Yoon’s lawyer said in a statement on Friday that execution of an invalid arrest warrant against Yoon is unlawful, and they will take legal action, without elaborating.
The warrant – valid until 6 January – came after the president ignored multiple summons for questioning over charges of insurrection and abuse of power, accusations his lawyers have claimed are “unlawful”. Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of deepening political crisis in South Korea as investigators execute arrest warrant against Yoon Suk Yeol.
