South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has made history as the first sitting president to be arrested, following a tense and dramatic standoff between law enforcement and his personal security team.
The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into charges of insurrection, linked to Yoon’s failed attempt to impose martial law, which led to a political crisis and his impeachment by parliament.
Despite his impeachment, Yoon technically remains the president until a constitutional court rules on the validity of the move. His arrest, which took place on Wednesday morning, unfolded in a dramatic fashion. Investigators, equipped with ladders and wirecutters, overcame barricades erected by Yoon’s Presidential Security Service (PSS), who had blocked access to his residence in a bid to thwart the arrest.
In a three-minute video message, Yoon expressed his willingness to comply with the investigation, stating that he had agreed to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office for High Ranking Officials (CIO) to avoid bloodshed. “I decided to appear before the CIO, even though it is an illegal investigation, in order to prevent any unsavoury bloodshed,” he said, maintaining that the arrest warrant against him was not legally valid.
The arrest followed multiple failed attempts by the CIO to apprehend the president, including one on January 3, where investigators were blocked by buses and barbed wire. Yoon had ignored several summonses to appear for questioning. This time, investigators managed to gain access using tools to overcome the obstacles, even scaling a nearby hiking trail to reach the presidential residence.
The operation involved more than 1,000 officers and was met with passionate reactions from both supporters and critics of Yoon. Outside his residence, his supporters chanted “end the impeachment,” while opponents shouted, “arrest him.” Following the arrest, opposition party members celebrated, with Park Chan-dae of the Democratic Party declaring that the arrest marked “the first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy, and the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, Yoon’s People Power Party condemned the arrest as “illegal,” with floor leader Kweon Seong-dong calling the events “regretful.” Yoon is now expected to be detained at the Seoul Detention Centre in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, pending a court decision on a detention warrant.
With South Korea’s political crisis continuing to unfold, Yoon’s arrest underscores the deep divisions within the country. Protests outside his home highlighted the stark contrast between the factions, with Yoon’s supporters expressing anger over what they perceived as the breakdown of the rule of law.
As of now, the country is being led by acting President Choi Sang-mok, who took over after Han Duck-soo, the previous acting president, was also impeached by the opposition-controlled parliament.
Chioma Kalu
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