By SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean authorities detained President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his botched declaration of martial law, weeks after a first attempt ended in a dramatic standoff at the residence where he had been holed up since he was impeached.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), which is leading a joint investigation, said the arrest warrant was executed at 10:33 a.m. (8:33 p.m. Tuesday ET), hours after hundreds of police officers arrived at Yoon’s presidential compound in central Seoul.
Yoon, who was impeached last month after his short-lived martial law order plunged South Korea, a key U.S. ally, into political chaos, is South Korea’s first president to be arrested in office.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arriving at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials in Gwacheon on Wednesday.Yonhap/AFP via Getty Images
“Unlike the first execution attempt, this time there were no individuals or security staff actively obstructing the execution, and there were no significant physical clashes,” the CIO said in a briefing.
In an address to the nation, Yoon said that the warrant was illegal but that he decided to comply “to prevent an unfortunate and bloody confrontation.”
“Unfortunately, the rule of law in this country has completely collapsed,” he said, according to his office.
Investigators who arrived before dawn at Yoon’s presidential residence were met by members of his security service, who blocked them from detaining Yoon during their first attempt on Jan. 3.
Lawyers for Yoon and lawmakers from his People Power Party were also on the access road leading to the residence, arguing that the warrant was illegal and blocking the police from progressing toward the residence’s entrance.
Nearby, thousands of Yoon’s supporters and critics held dueling protests in below-freezing temperatures. Many of Yoon’s conservative supporters carried American flags and placards with slogans inspired by President-elect Donald Trump, such as “Stop the Steal” — a reference to Yoon’s unsubstantiated claims of election fraud which he cited among his reasons for declaring martial law.
Police officers could later be seen making progress toward the hillside villa after they pushed through multiple blockades made up of vehicles and barbed wire.
Yoon’s legal team said Wednesday that he was willing to appear for questioning voluntarily rather than be taken into custody. But a convoy of black SUVs was later seen leaving the presidential compound with a police escort, and Yoon arrived at the CIO office shortly afterward.
