(Bloomberg) — South Korean anti-corruption investigators moved to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, facing off with his presidential security and about a thousand protesters outside his residence seeking to block the attempt.
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A team from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials arrived at Yoon’s residence in Seoul’s Yongsan district on Friday to try and arrest him. Investigators were able to get past a military unit blocking their access, but had not yet entered the building, according to Yonhap News.
Yoon’s security service told Bloomberg News there was no confrontation between the investigators and the military unit.
The attempt to arrest Yoon follows his shocking martial law declaration on Dec. 3, which ultimately led to his impeachment. The investigation office is probing him for insurrection, but Yoon had repeatedly refused to appear for questioning. The office then requested an arrest warrant, which was approved.
Police deployed about 2,700 officers near Yoon’s residence, according to Yonhap News, as his supporters gathered to block the unprecedented attempt to arrest a sitting president. Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at around 1,200, Yonhap added.
Yoon’s representative called the arrest attempt illegal and vowed to take legal action. They had previously sought a court injunction to block the warrant.
Protesters near his residence were chanting “Disband CIO” in reference to the investigating agency. Some were shouting “Arrest Lee Jae-myung,” the opposition leader seen as a top contender to take power if Yoon is removed from office.
Both the CIO and the Defense Ministry didn’t immediately respond to requests from Bloomberg News for comment.
The opposition Democratic Party was among those who had pushed for the insurrection probe into Yoon. “All members in South Korea should cooperate with the legitimate execution of a warrant for someone suspected of leading an insurrection,” Kim Sung-hoi, a party spokesperson, said on Friday.
South Korea has been in a political crisis since Yoon’s martial law declaration, which lasted just six hours. The move rattled financial markets, hurt the local currency and disrupted diplomatic efforts. It’s also weighed on the economy, prompting the government to cut its 2025 growth forecast to 1.8% from 2.2%.
