Explaining the failed attempt to arrest the Korean president

After six hours of dramatic standoff with security, South Korean police aborted their attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The 150 officers involved found themselves helplessly overwhelmed – first by the large number of Yoon supporters who had gathered outside his residence before sunrise, and then by a Human wall of security officers inside the compound.

Police are trying to make an arrest was released earlier this week after Yoon ignored three times summoning him for questioning.

The politician is currently under investigation for abuse of power and inciting an uprising when he tried to impose martial law in early December.

Dozens of police cars lined up outside Yoon’s residence in central Seoul early Friday morning, before the arrest team – which included police officers and members of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) – began moving towards the building at around 08:00 local time. time (23:00 GMT).

The operation started with a team of 20 people but quickly expanded to about 150 people. Even then, there were more of them.

While about half the team was able to get inside, they were locked for hours in a standoff with the president’s security staff – who are still responsible for protecting Yoon, even though he has been detained. stripped of power – and a military unit responsible for defending the city. of Seoul.

At one point, Yoon’s security team “confronted” investigating officers, an official with the Seoul Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP news agency.

“We determined that an arrest was practically impossible,” said the CIO, who is investigating Yoon’s short-term declaration of martial law last month.

If successful, Yoon will become the first sitting president to be arrested in Korean history.

The CIO said Yoon’s “denial of legal process” was “very regrettable”, adding that the next steps will be decided after review.

Yoon’s supporters, who had been camping in front of the presidential palace for days, cheered in song and dance when the suspension was announced. “We won!” they chanted. Some carried “Stop the Steal” signs – an echo of the call used by supporters of US President Donald Trump after he lost the 2020 election.

The CIO said concerns about the safety of the team in the field was a factor in their decision to abort the arrest attempt.

The presidential security agency said it will hold the CIO and police responsible for the breach, adding that the team injured some of its employees.

This development was not unexpected, given Yoon’s defiance throughout the investigation process.

Experts say that as a former chief prosecutor, Yoon was well aware of the legal loopholes that could exist in his defense.

Investigators have until January 6 to arrest him before his current arrest warrant expires.

This means they could try to arrest Yoon again later in the week, although this could be logistically difficult as crowds are likely to increase.

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

Before the effort was called off, Yoon’s security team told the news agency that they were “in negotiations” with investigators seeking access to the president.

According to Yonhap, the police opened a criminal case against the head of Yoon’s security agency and his deputy, and summoned them for questioning.

Yoon’s legal team was also seen entering the residence around noon local time.

Lawyer Yoon Gab-keun previously said they would take legal action over the arrest warrant, arguing that investigators lacked authority to arrest him.

Meanwhile, Park Chan-dae, class leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, criticized Yoon for not standing firm on his position. promise to take legal and political responsibility because of his failed martial law attempt.

“[It was] is a complete lie,” Park said, urging the CIO to try to arrest Yoon again today.

The CIO has only been in operation for four years, established in response to public outrage against former president Park Geun-hye and her outrageous behavior. She was impeached by parliament in December 2016 and removed from office three months later.

However, the CIO’s jurisdiction has been challenged by other agencies – and their failure to deal with Yoon could be seen as an embarrassing loss.

South Korea has been in political turmoil since the attempted martial law on December 3, with wide rifts in parliament between those loyal to Yoon and those seeking to oust him.

Days and nights of protests culminated when the opposition-dominated parliament voted to impeach Yoon on December 14, their second attempt to do so after a majority of his ruling party’s impeachment. boycott the first vote.

Two weeks later, Congress voted to impeach his replacement, Acting Chairman Han Duck-soo – the first time an acting president has been impeached since South Korea became a democracy.

Han is expected to lead the country out of political turmoil, but opposition lawmakers argue that he refused to complete the impeachment process against Yoon.

On Friday, prosecutors also indicted on charges of insurrection army chief Park An-su, who was named martial law commander in the brief proclamation, and special forces commander Kwak Jong-geun, according to Seoul-based Yonhap news agency.

They will face trial while in prison.

Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul