Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested in a second police operation, weeks after briefly imposing martial law in the country.
South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) announced on Wednesday that President Yoon Suk Yeol had been arrested as part of an investigation into his attempt to impose martial law in the country.
A new arrest warrant was issued against the suspended president after a first failed arrest attempt on January 3. The guards at the presidential residence blocked the police that day.
Holed up in his residence for several weeks, Yoon Suk Yeol indicated that he agreed to submit to the investigation “to avoid any unfortunate bloodshed”although he does not recognize its legality.
South Korean authorities dispatched about 1,000 police officers early Wednesday morning to the presidential residence in Seoul’s Yongsan district. This time they apparently did not encounter any significant resistance from the presidential security forces.
No clashes were reported, despite the presence of supporters of the president.
Yoon Suk Yeol justified the short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3 as a legitimate act of governance against what he called “anti-state forces”. He accuses the opposition of using its legislative majority to thwart his program. He also described the opposition as “North Korea sympathizers.”
The Senior Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau is conducting a joint investigation with the police and military to determine whether Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law amounts to an attempted rebellion.
The latter benefits from a privilege granted to South Korean presidents, which gives him immunity from criminal prosecution. But this immunity does not extend to serious offenses and allegations, such as rebellion or treason.
The imposition of martial law was short-lived, lasting only six hours before being called off. Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by Parliament on December 14, but the impeachment must now be validated by the Constitutional Court.
The Minister of Defense and the Minister of the Interior have already resigned.