Law enforcement officials are back at the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to detain him over martial law allegations.
The Corruption Investigation Office and police are looking into whether Yoon’s quick martial law declaration on December 3 was an attempted rebellion. They’re not backing down this time after the presidential security service blocked their first attempt on January 3.
Even with a court warrant out for his detention, the security service is saying they have to protect Yoon. They’ve even set up barbed wire and buses to block access to the residence.
You could see vehicles from the anti-corruption agency near his home, and police in black jackets were spotted heading toward the gate. There were also lawmakers from Yoon’s party and at least one of his lawyers arguing with the officials trying to get in.
Things got heated with hundreds of Yoon’s supporters and critics protesting outside. One group wants to protect him, while the other is calling for him to be locked up. Police in yellow jackets were everywhere, keeping a close eye on the situation.
Yoon’s Chief of Staff even asked law enforcement to back off, suggesting they could question him elsewhere. But one of Yoon’s lawyers said that message wasn’t cleared with them, and they don’t have plans to let him be questioned anytime soon.
If they do manage to detain Yoon, they’ll need to ask a court for a formal arrest. If not, he’ll be out in 48 hours. He hasn’t left his residence in weeks, and the security service stopped investigators from getting to him after a long standoff last month.
The National Police Agency has been meeting up to strategize their next steps, and it looks like they might send over a thousand officers for this operation. They’ve even warned that if the presidential bodyguards keep blocking the warrant, they could face arrest.
Yoon declared martial law and sent troops around the National Assembly on December 3, but it only lasted a few hours before lawmakers got through and lifted it. His powers were suspended after the assembly voted to impeach him on December 14, accusing him of rebellion. Now, it’s up to the Constitutional Court to decide if he’ll be removed or reinstated.
