Anti-corruption officials have suspended their attempt to arrest South Korea’s “embattled” President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges after a “dramatic” hours-long stand-off with his security forces, said CNN.
Eighty police officers and investigators from the country’s anti-corruption agency entered the presidential compound in Seoul to detain Yoon following his short-lived declaration of martial law last month.
They were met with a “human wall” of around 200 soldiers and security officers. After nearly six hours and several altercations of “varying intensity”, they called off the attempt on safety grounds.
Who said what
Anti-corruption officials added they had “serious regret about the attitude of the suspect, who did not respond to a process by law”, said The Guardian.
In a statement after the arrest was suspended, Yoon’s legal team claimed the warrant was “an illegal, invalid warrant” and vowed to take legal action, said CNN. Supporters also gathered outside the presidential compound holding signs reading “Stop the Steal”, printed in English, and waving US flags.
But according to a recent poll, more than 60% of South Koreans want to see Yoon’s impeachment upheld. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said that “anyone who obstructed the arrest attempt should be arrested too”, said the BBC.
What next?
“Several potential courses of action remain on the table,” said The Guardian. Officials could attempt to arrest Yoon again as the warrant doesn’t expire until 6 January, although they could also apply for an extension. They could also “bypass further direct confrontation” with a pre-trial detention warrant, although this could face similar challenges if Yoon failed to comply.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court will formally begin the impeachment trial on 14 January. Yoon, who is legally required to attend the trial, has said he will “fight until the end to protect this country”.