South Korean authorities suspended efforts to enforce an arrest warrant for embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, after a tense standoff with his presidential security team.
Around 80 police and investigators entered Yoon’s compound in the early morning, but they were blocked by the security team.
The Corruption Investigation Office later called off the enforcement, citing safety concerns, although the warrant, valid until January 6, remains in effect and could be extended.
A heavy police presence surrounded Yoon’s Seoul residence throughout the day, with hundreds of supporters gathering despite the cold.
Yoon, accused of leading an insurrection, faces questioning in multiple investigations.
A court had approved the arrest warrant earlier in the week, marking the first time such an action was taken against a sitting president.
The presidential security team maintained that security measures would follow due process.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, has refused to comply with three summonses from investigators. His power was stripped in December by a parliamentary vote to impeach him, following backlash over his short-lived martial law declaration.
The declaration, made on December 3, was quickly reversed, leading to widespread political chaos and public condemnation.
Despite the tense situation, Yoon’s supporters, many of whom held American flags and placards calling his arrest treason, camped out near his residence. Some protesters even chanted against the CIO.
The main opposition party urged the security team to cooperate and called on Yoon to comply with the law, stating, “All members of the Republic of Korea need to abide by law and order.”
Yoon’s lawyer has criticized the arrest warrant as “illegal” and filed legal objections with the Constitutional Court and a lower court.
If Yoon is detained, he could be held for up to 48 hours for questioning, but further detention would require a secondary warrant.
The existing warrant remains valid until January 6, with the possibility of extension.
Yoon remains defiant, vowing to “fight to the end” for the country. This statement, his first in weeks, followed his December martial law declaration, where he claimed opposition lawmakers had “paralyzed state affairs” and justified the decree to protect South Korea from “anti-state elements.”
The declaration was reversed within hours by parliament, which faced backlash due to its association with the country’s authoritarian past.
The political fallout from Yoon’s martial law order has led to political disarray, with parliament impeaching both Yoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is now acting president.
Investigations into Yoon’s actions during the martial law crisis have surfaced, including allegations that he ordered military troops to the National Assembly and even considered using firearms to break through barricades erected by lawmakers.
Yoon’s impeachment proceedings are ongoing in the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether he will be formally removed from office or reinstated. The process could take up to six months, with the first pretrial hearing held in late December.
A second hearing, scheduled for Friday, coincided with the investigation into Yoon.
Amid this turmoil, Yoon’s former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, has been arrested and indicted for his role in the insurrection operation.
Yoon himself has been accused of directing the military to break into parliament, escalating the crisis. The Constitutional Court is treating the impeachment as a priority, along with other opposition-driven cases against Yoon’s administration.
