South Korean President Yoon arrested by law enforcement: NPR

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – South Korean law enforcement officials on Wednesday impeached President Yun Seok-Yeol over his brief imposition of martial law last month. In a video message recorded before he was taken to the anti-corruption agency’s headquarters, Yun lamented that “the rule of law has completely collapsed in this country,” but warned against preventing clashes between law enforcement officials. and the Presidential Guard Bureau said they were complying with a detention warrant.

A series of black SUVs equipped with sirens were seen leaving the presidential palace under police escort. Later, a vehicle believed to be carrying Yoon arrived at the high-level corruption investigation office in nearby Gwacheon.

Yun was taken into custody about three hours after hundreds of law enforcement officers entered his compound for the second time in an attempt to detain him over his decision to impose martial law last month.

Yun’s lawyers tried to persuade investigators not to execute the arrest warrant, saying the president would voluntarily appear for questioning, but authorities refused.

The officers did not appear to encounter significant resistance from presidential security forces as they approached Mr. Yoon’s residence, and there were no immediate reports of clashes.

More than 1,000 anti-corruption agents and police officers may be involved in the operation to arrest Mr. Yoon, who has been barricaded in his mansion in Hannam-dong, the capital Seoul, for several weeks, but Mr. I vow to fight until the end. Efforts to oust him.

Yun justified his declaration of martial law on December 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an “anti-national” opposition party that is using its parliamentary majority to thwart his policies. .

The Anti-Corruption Bureau is leading a joint investigation with the police and military into whether Yoon’s declaration of martial law constitutes an attempted rebellion, and is calling for Yoon’s detention after he ignored several summonses for questioning. There is. After the Presidential Security Service thwarted an initial effort on January 3, they promised stronger measures to detain him.

Situation at the housing complex

After an hour-long standoff at the compound’s gate, anti-corruption investigators and police were seen making their way up the hilly compound. Earlier, police officers were seen using ladders to scale a row of buses placed by the Presidential Security Service near the entrance to the compound.

Anti-corruption investigators and police then arrived at a metal gate with a gold presidential insignia near Yoon’s residence. Several police officers were seen entering a security door next to a metal gate, joined by one of Yun’s lawyers and his chief of staff. Presidential security officials later removed buses and other vehicles that had been barricaded tightly parked inside the gate.

Despite a court warrant for Yun’s detention, presidential security officials said they had a duty to protect the impeached president and fortified the compound by blocking roads with barbed wire and convoys of buses.

If the investigative authorities succeed in detaining Yoon Seok-yeol, it is likely that they will request permission from the court for formal arrest. Otherwise, he will be released after 48 hours.

preparation and anxiety

Amid rising tensions, South Korea’s acting leader, Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, issued a statement early Wednesday, urging law enforcement and the Presidential Security Office to prevent “physical confrontations” from occurring.

On December 14, the liberal opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which promoted the legislative movement that led to Yun’s impeachment, issued a statement calling on presidential security authorities to step aside and cooperate in detaining Yun. Lawmakers from Yun’s People Power Party held a rally near the presidential palace and denounced the efforts to detain him as illegal.

In recent days, the National Police Agency has convened multiple meetings of field commanders in Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi Province to plan the arrest operation, and due to its scale, more than 1,000 police officers will be deployed to carry out the multi-day operation. There is growing speculation that this may happen. The agency and police have publicly warned that the presidential bodyguard who obstructed the execution of the warrant could be arrested.

Yoon’s lawyer argued that the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid. They cited a law that prevents searches of locations potentially related to military secrets without the consent of the person in charge (Mr. Yoon). The court’s warrant for Yun’s detention is valid until January 21.

Yin’s supporters and critics have held conflicting protests near his official residence, with one side vowing to protect him and the other calling for his imprisonment, while thousands of yellow-jacketed police Officials were closely monitoring the tense situation.

what happened this way

Yun declared martial law on December 3 and deployed troops around the National Assembly. It lasted only a few hours before MPs managed to break through the blockade and pass a resolution to lift the measures.

On December 14, the opposition-dominated parliament voted to impeach Yun for treason, and his presidential powers were suspended. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating whether to formally remove Yun from office or dismiss the charges and reinstate him.

The Constitutional Court held the first formal hearing in the case on Tuesday, but the hearing lasted less than five minutes because Yun refused to attend. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, and the court will proceed with the trial regardless of whether Yoon appears in court.