South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on Wednesday from his residence, ending a weeks-long standoff between investigators and his security. Yoon is currently under investigation on insurrection charges after his failed attempt to impose martial law in South Korea plunged the country into crisis.
Yoon stated he chose to stop resisting attempts to arrest him in order to ‘prevent any unsavory bloodshed.’ According to reports, ladders and wire-cutters were used to get Yoon, whose Presidential Security Service (PSS) personnel has put up barricades to avoid his arrest.
In a three-minute video message released by Yoon’s aides, the 64-year-old leader said he would cooperate with the investigation against him though he opposes it.
He has consistently said in the pre-recorded clip that the warrant for his arrest is not legal. The detained President said, “Today, when I saw them invading the security perimeter with fire equipment, I decided to appear before the CIO, even though it is an illegal investigation, in order to prevent any unsavoury bloodshed,” BBC reported.
This is the second time when the South Korean law enforcement officials had tried to arrest Yoon after the previous, January 3 failed arrest attempt. Over 1,000 officers were reportedly a part of today’s dawn operation.
