South Korea: Impeached President Yoon Arrested Over Martial Law Declaration

In their second attempt to detain him, South Korean anti-corruption investigators arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday. The arrest took place hours after the hundreds of the agency's investigators and police officers arrived at his presidential compound.

The officials once again encountered an hour-long standoff at the gate before they were seen moving up the hilly compound. Police officers were earlier seen using ladders to climb over rows of buses placed by the presidential security service near the compound's entrance.

President Yoon had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to "fight to the end" against the efforts to oust him.

Earlier, on January 3, after a nearly six-hour standoff with the presidential security service, the South Korean investigators failed to detain him. The anti-corruption agency officials confirmed the withdrawal of its investigators after they were blocked from entering Yoon's official residence due to safety concerns.

Following the failed attempt, a court had granted an extension to a previous warrant, following a failed arrest attempt earlier this month

Detention warrant for Prez Yoon

A South Korean court earlier issued a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and search his office over his martial law decree, the anti-corruption agency said.

The arrest warrant was issued after Yoon ignored repeated requests by investigative authorities to appear for questioning and allow them to search his office.

According to the anti-corruption agency, the officials are investigating whether his declaration of martial law amounted to rebellion. Although Yoon has the presidential privilege of immunity from criminal prosecution, it does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.

President Yoon Impeached

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the National Assembly on December 14 following his controversial declaration of martial law on December 3. The liberal opposition Democratic Party accused the president of trying to mobilize his supporters to block his detention and called for law enforcement authorities to execute the warrant immediately.

The impeachment motion passed with 204 lawmakers voting in favor. It led to an immediate suspension of Yoon from office. The prime minister, as per the Korean constitution, will assume the role of acting president in his absence.

However, the impeachment process is far from over. A trial will be conducted by the Constitutional Court, which could take several weeks. If six out of the nine judges vote to uphold the impeachment, Yoon will be permanently removed from office. In such a case, a presidential election must be held within 60 days of the ruling.

Yoon's message to fight till the end

President Yoon earlier issued a defiant statement to his conservative supporters who gathered outside his residence in the capital of Seoul on Thursday.

In his message, the impeached president reportedly vowed to fight till the end against the "anti-state forces" that are "violating the sovereignty” of South Korea and putting the nation in "danger", according to the Associated Press.

The president further applauded his supporters for their efforts to protect the country's “liberal democracy and constitutional order” and said he was watching their protests on live YouTube broadcasts, according to a photo of the message shared by Yoon's lawyers.

About Martial Law In South Korea

In South Korea, the President holds the power to declare martial law in situations of extreme national emergency, such as wartime or similar crises. Martial law gives the President the right to deploy the military, suspend civil liberties, and temporarily override government agencies and courts.

However, the constitution also empowers the National Assembly to revoke such a declaration with a majority vote, a safeguard against misuse of power. This provision was exercised immediately after Yoon라이브 바카라 proclamation, with lawmakers scaling walls to evade military blockades and ensure a quorum for their emergency session. The Assembly라이브 바카라 unanimous vote to nullify martial law demonstrated a rare moment of unity in South Korea라이브 바카라 polarized political landscape.

Critics argue that Yoon라이브 바카라 martial law declaration far exceeded constitutional limits. The impeachment motion alleges that his actions—deploying troops to surround the National Assembly and suspending political party activities—constituted a coup attempt rather than a legitimate response to a national crisis.