South Korea: South Korean military on Friday attempted to enter the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to execute an arrest warrant over his failed bid to impose martial law, Yonhap reported. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has until Monday to execute the arrest warrant approved by a Seoul Court.
“We have begun executing a detention warrant for President Yoon,” (CIO) said in a notice to the press.
Yoon’s supporters, gathered outside the residence, have complicated CIO efforts, raising chances of clashes with the Presidential Security Service, Yonhap reported.
Observers said that arresting Yoon on Saturday and Sunday poses a greater risk of confronting Yoon’s supporters while executing the warrant on Monday will be too close to the deadline. A Seoul court on Tuesday approved a warrant to detain Yoon, who was impeached over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly over his attempt to impose martial law in the country on December 3. While issuing the warrants, the court rejected Yoon’s claims that the CIO lacks jurisdiction over insurrection cases and that the warrant request was therefore illegal. The court also dismissed Yoon’s claims that he couldn’t attend questioning sessions because arrangements for his personal safety and security detail, as the president, had not been made, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Earlier on December 14, Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly over his attempt to impose martial law in the country. The members of the unicameral National Assembly had voted 204 to 85 to impeach South Korea’s President.
Three members of the National Assembly abstained from voting while eight votes were declared invalid. The voting was conducted through a secret ballot, with two-thirds of the vote needed for impeachment. All 300 members of the assembly cast their votes.
After his impeachment, Yoon was suspended from office.
