Chaos erupted in South Korea after a failed attempt to arrest ousted President Yun Seok-yol. On Friday, investigators tried to execute a warrant for his arrest for attempting to impose martial law, but were met with resistance from the presidential guard, international news agencies report, BBC reports.
For six hours, prosecutors and officers from the Korean High-Level Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) were at the presidential residence in Seoul’s upscale Hannam district. But at around 13:30 (04:30 GMT), they left the residence without any results.
“Execution of the arrest warrant today proved physically impossible due to the ongoing impasse,” the CIO said. The department noted that the risks to the safety of the employees forced them to stop the attempted arrest.
Confrontation with security guards
Representatives of the Seoul General Staff confirmed that investigators were confronted by military personnel acting under the direction of the presidential security service. The presidential guard, which continues to protect Yoon as the current head of state, has thwarted several attempts to search his residence in recent days.
Yun’s lawyers, who immediately arrived at the residence, called the arrest warrant “illegal and invalid”. The CIO has until 6 January to comply with this week’s court order.
The arrest of Yun Seok-yol, who is formally still president, although he is suspended due to impeachment proceedings, would be an unprecedented event in South Korean history.
Protests on the streets
On the night of Thursday and Friday, hundreds of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside his residence. Among them were well-known far-right bloggers and evangelical preachers. The protesters held nightly prayer services, expressing support for the ousted president.
At the same time, the police deployed 2,700 officers to ensure order after clashes between supporters and opponents of Yoon.
Martial law and the parliamentary crisis
Yun Seok-yol shocked the country on the night of 3 December by attempting to impose martial law and sending the military to parliament to shut down lawmakers. The move evoked memories of the dark days of the military dictatorship.
Within hours, however, the president was forced to retreat. MPs were able to gather and vote on a resolution against martial law, while their aides barricaded the doors of the parliament with furniture and thousands of pro-democracy protesters gathered around the building.
Yun Seok-yeol continues to cause deep controversy in society, and the country is on the verge of a political crisis unlike any since the authoritarian rule.
