Supporters rally to stop authorities from arresting South Korea’s ousted president
South Korea’s anti-corruption agency has sent investigators to issue an arrest warrant for ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, as hundreds of his supporters gathered at his residence in Seoul, vowing to block his path.
Investigators from the High Officials Corruption Investigation Office were seen loading boxes into several vehicles before leaving their building in the city of Gwacheon early Friday. The office did not immediately confirm how many investigators were dispatched.
A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon after he evaded multiple requests for questioning and blocked a search of his Seoul office, preventing an investigation into whether his December 3 temporary seizure of power was a coup.
Thousands of police officers gathered at Yoon’s residence. There were no immediate reports of clashes with protesters.
If Yoon is arrested, the anti-corruption agency will have 48 hours to investigate him and request a warrant for his arrest or release him. Yoon’s defense minister, the police chief and several senior military officials have been arrested for their role in the imposition of martial law.
It was not clear whether the president would cooperate with the authorities trying to arrest him. In a defiant New Year’s message to conservative supporters outside, Yoon said he would “fight to the end” against “anti-state forces.”
Yoon’s lawyers say the court’s arrest warrant is invalid, saying the anti-corruption agency does not have the authority to investigate treason. They also accuse the court of violating the law that states that places that may be connected to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the permission of the person in charge.
Oh Dong-woon, the agency’s chief prosecutor, indicated that police may be deployed if Yoon’s security forces oppose the detention attempt.
But Yoon’s legal team issued a statement on Thursday warning that any attempt by the agency to use police agencies to arrest him would exceed its legal authority. The lawyers said the police could be arrested by “the presidential security service and any citizens” if they try to arrest Yoon. They did not elaborate on the claim.
South Korean law allows anyone to arrest to stop a crime, and critics accused Yoon of inciting his supporters to block efforts to arrest him.
Yoon Kap-keun, the president’s lawyer, filed a challenge in the Seoul Western District Court on Thursday to block both the arrest warrant for Yoon Suk Yeol and the warrant related to the search of his residence. The attorney argued that both warrants violated criminal and constitutional laws.
The opposition Democratic Party, which conducted a legislative vote impeaching the president on December 14 for imposing martial law, accused the leader of trying to rally his supporters to prevent his arrest and called on law enforcement authorities to issue an immediate arrest warrant. .
In the bitter cold, thousands of Yoon’s supporters gathered for hours near his residence Thursday amid heavy police presence, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting, “Make it easy to impeach him!” and “We will protect President Yoon Suk Yeol!” Police removed some of the protesters who were lying on the ground on the road leading to Yoon’s residence, but there were no immediate reports of major clashes.
Some experts believe that the anti-corruption agency, which is leading the investigation in cooperation with police and military officials, will not risk clashing with Yoon’s security unit, which has said it will provide Yoon with legal security. The bureau may issue additional subpoenas for Yoon to appear for investigation if he fails to produce an arrest warrant by Jan. 6.
Political unrest
Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended following a National Assembly vote to impeach him on December 14 for imposing martial law. Although it lasted only hours, it caused political chaos for weeks, halting high-level talks and tumbling financial markets. Yoon’s fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating on whether to accept the trial and formally remove him from office or reinstate him.
To officially end Yoon’s presidency, at least six judges of the nine-member Constitutional Court must vote in favor.
The National Assembly voted last week to replace Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting president after Yoon’s impeachment, for refusing to fill three vacancies on the Constitutional Court before the court’s review of Yoon’s case.
Members of South Korea’s People Power Party surrounded National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik’s platform after parliament passed a motion to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country’s acting president.
Facing mounting pressure, the new acting president, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, appointed two new judges on Tuesday, which may increase the chances of the court upholding Yoon’s impeachment.
Cho Han-chang, one of the newly appointed judges, said Thursday that he began his duties “with a heavy heart.” Jeong Gye-seon, one of the new justices, expressed hope that the remaining vacancy will be filled.
Yoon’s imposition of martial law ended after only six hours when the National Assembly voted 190-0 to lift it despite efforts by heavily armed soldiers to prevent them from voting.
Yoon defended his martial law decision as a necessary act of governance, portraying it as a temporary warning against the Democratic Party, which he described as an “anti-national” force that interfered with his agenda with its large number of laws.
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