South Korea’s SEOUL Weeks after his initial effort to impose martial law ended in a dramatic standoff at the house where he had been hiding since he was impeached, South Korean officials apprehended President Yoon Suk Yeolon on Wednesday.
Hours after hundreds of police officers arrived at Yoon’s presidential complex in central Seoul, the arrest warrant was carried out at 10:33 a.m. (8:33 p.m. Tuesday ET), according to the Corruption probe Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), which is in charge of a joint probe.
Yoon is the first South Korean president to be jailed while in office. He was impeached last month after his brief martial law decree sent South Korea, a crucial ally of the United States, into political turmoil.
In contrast to the initial execution attempt, the CIO stated in a briefing that no people or security personnel were aggressively blocking the execution this time, and there were no notable physical altercations.
Yoon stated in a national address that although the warrant was unlawful, he chose to cooperate in order to avoid a regrettable and violent altercation.
“Unfortunately, the rule of law has completely collapsed in this country,” he stated, citing his office.
Members of Yoon’s security service met investigators at his presidential mansion before daybreak and prevented them from capturing Yoon on their initial attempt on January 3.
Yoon’s attorneys and members of his People Power Party were also on the access road to the house, claiming the warrant was unlawful and preventing the police from approaching the house’s entry.
In below-freezing temperatures, thousands of Yoon’s fans and detractors staged opposing demonstrations nearby. In support of President-elect Donald Trump, many of Yoon’s conservative followers held American flags and placards with inscriptions like “Stop the Steala,” which alludes to Yoon’s unproven allegations of election fraud, which he listed as one of the reasons he declared martial law.
Later, after pushing through several barbed-wire and vehicle-based blockades, police personnel were observed moving closer to the hillside villa.
On Wednesday, Yoon’s legal team stated that he would prefer to be questioned willingly than to be arrested. However, Yoon soon reached the CIO office when a convoy of black SUVs was spotted leaving the presidential compound under police protection.