Read Details As Police Arrest Sitting President

South Korean authorities have arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces charges of insurrection following an attempt to impose martial law

Yoon is now at the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) – he said he agreed to the interrogation “even though it is an illegal investigation, to prevent any unsavory bloodshed”

Authorities served the warrant after an hours-long standoff with his security staff and supporters, which saw investigators using ladders and wirecutters to enter Yoon’s residence

Yoon had been holed up for weeks – investigators tried to arrest him earlier this month but failed

This marks the first time in South Korea’s history that a sitting president has been arrested

Yoon’s impeachment trial, which will decide if he is removed from office, started yesterday but ended within four minutes because of his absence.

Recall that Yoon shocked the nation late on December 3 when he declared martial law, claiming he needed to safeguard South Korea “from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements”.

He deployed troops to parliament but lawmakers defied them and voted against martial law.

Yoon revoked martial law after just six hours.

Yoon can be held for up to 48 hours following his arrest.

Investigators would need to apply for another arrest warrant to keep him in custody.

Yoon’s legal team had repeatedly decried the warrant as illegal.

His ruling party also said Wednesday’s arrest was unlawful.

“History will inevitably record the fact that the CIO and the police executed an unjust and illegal warrant,” PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong told a party meeting, apologising to Yoon’s supporters.

In a parallel probe, the Constitutional Court on Tuesday launched a trial to rule on parliament’s impeachment of Yoon.

If the court endorses the impeachment, Yoon will finally lose the presidency and fresh elections will have to be held within 60 days.

The trial was adjourned on Tuesday after only a very brief hearing as Yoon declined to attend. The next hearing is set for Thursday, although the proceedings could last for months.

South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party celebrated Yoon’s detention, with floor leader Park Chan-dae telling a party meeting it was “the first step” to restoring constitutional and legal order after weeks of turmoil.

The country’s parliament speaker echoed those sentiments.

“Now that the chaotic situation has ended, we should concentrate our efforts on stabilising state affairs and restoring people’s livelihoods,” Woo Won-shik said.

AFP