South Korean Officers Enter Presidential Compound Amid Impeachment Crisis

Law enforcement attempts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law declaration

South Korean Officers Enter Presidential Compound Amid Impeachment Crisis
South Korean Officers Enter Presidential Compound Amid Impeachment Crisis

SEOUL: So, early Wednesday, a bunch of law enforcement officers showed up at the home of South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. This was their second try to take him in over that martial law he declared last month.

The investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office were chatting with Yoon’s lawyers, but as of midmorning, he hadn’t been caught yet. It looked like the officers didn’t face much pushback from the security team at the compound, and thankfully, there were no reports of any fights breaking out.

They had a big team ready, with over a thousand anti-corruption investigators and police on standby. Yoon has been holed up in his residence for weeks, insisting he’ll “fight to the end” against the push to kick him out. He claims his martial law declaration was a necessary move against an “anti-state” opposition that’s been blocking his plans.

Yoon’s lawyers were trying to convince the investigators not to go through with the arrest, saying he’d show up for questioning voluntarily. But the agency wasn’t really considering that option right away. They’re looking into whether Yoon’s martial law move was an attempted rebellion, especially since he’s ignored several requests to come in for questioning.

After a long standoff at the compound’s gate, the officers finally made their way up the hill. They even had to use ladders to get over some buses that the presidential security had parked to block their path. Eventually, they reached a metal gate near Yoon’s home, and some officers went through a side door with one of Yoon’s lawyers.

It’s still unclear if the law enforcement will accept Yoon’s lawyers’ offer for him to come in voluntarily. The presidential security service has been pretty adamant about protecting Yoon, even putting up barbed wire and blocking paths with buses.

If they do manage to detain him, they’ll need to ask a court for permission to formally arrest him. Otherwise, he’ll be out in 48 hours.

As things heated up, South Korea’s acting leader urged everyone involved to avoid any physical clashes. The opposition party that pushed for Yoon’s impeachment called for the security service to cooperate with the detention efforts. Meanwhile, Yoon’s supporters were rallying nearby, claiming the attempts to detain him were unlawful.

The police have been meeting up to plan their next steps, and it looks like they might deploy a lot of officers for this operation. They’ve even warned that if the presidential bodyguards block the warrant execution, they could face arrest.

Yoon’s lawyers argue that the warrant is invalid, citing a law that protects certain locations from searches without consent. The court’s warrant for his detention is valid until January 21.

Both Yoon’s supporters and critics have been protesting outside his residence, with police keeping a close eye on the situation.

This all started when Yoon declared martial law and sent troops around the National Assembly on December 3. It didn’t last long, though, as lawmakers quickly voted to lift 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 his fate.

The court had its first hearing on the case recently, but it was super short because Yoon didn’t show up. The next hearing is coming up soon, and they’ll continue with the trial whether he’s there or not.

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