Hundreds of South Koreans, bundled up against freezing temperatures and snow, gathered Sunday night near the residence of deposed President Yoon Suk Yeol, calling for his ouster and arrest, as authorities prepared to renew their efforts to arrest him following his brief trial martial. decree-law.
Dozens of anti-graft agency investigators and police tried to execute an arrest warrant for Yoon on Friday, but withdrew from his residence in Seoul after a tense standoff with presidential security officials that lasted more than five hours.
The one-week arrest warrant for him is valid until Monday.
There was no immediate indication that anti-corruption authorities were prepared to send investigators back to the residence on Sunday afternoon. Members of the Presidential Security Service were seen installing barbed wire near the gate and along the hills leading to Yoon’s residence over the weekend, likely in preparation for another arrest attempt.
Last Tuesday, a Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon and a separate warrant to search his residence after the embattled president defied authorities by refusing to show up for questioning and obstructing searches of his desk. But enforcing them is complicated as long as Yoon remains in his official residence.
Investigators with the country’s anti-corruption agency are weighing rebellion charges after the conservative president, apparently frustrated that his policies were being blocked by a legislature dominated by the liberal opposition, declared martial law on Dec. 3 and sent troops to surround the National Assembly.
The Assembly overturned the declaration within hours in a unanimous vote and impeached Yoon on December 14, charging him with rebellion, while South Korean anti-corruption authorities and prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events.
If the anti-corruption agency manages to arrest Yoon, it will likely ask the court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, Yoon will be released after 48 hours.
The Senior Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau, which is conducting a joint investigation with police and military investigators, says Yoon’s arrest would be “virtually impossible” while he is protected by presidential security services.
The agency urged the country’s acting leader, Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, to ask the department to comply with the execution of the arrest warrant, but Choi has not yet publicly commented on the matter .
In a video statement, Park Jong-joon, head of the presidential security service, responded to criticism that his organization has become Yoon’s private army, saying it has a legal obligation to protect the outgoing president. Park said he had asked his members not to resort to violence when confronting investigators and called on the anti-graft agency and police to change their approach.
Park and the deputy head of the presidential security service on Saturday defied police summons, which planned to question them for alleged obstruction of their official duties following Friday’s events.
Yoon’s legal team said it would file charges against the anti-graft agency’s chief prosecutor, Oh Dong-woon, and about 150 investigators and police officers involved in Friday’s attempted arrest, which he said they consider it illegal. The team said it would also file a complaint with prosecutors against the country’s acting defense minister and police chief for ignoring the presidential security service’s request to provide additional forces to block the attempt. of arrest.
Yoon’s lawyers had filed an objection to the arrest warrants against the president on Thursday, but the Seoul Western District Court rejected the challenge on Sunday.
Park Chan-dae, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called on the anti-graft agency to act quickly to arrest Yoon, saying it was deeply disappointing to see the agency “hesitating and allowing time.” flow.”
Hundreds of anti-Yoon protesters gathered for hours near the gates of the presidential residence from Saturday evening to Sunday, expressing frustration over the failed arrest attempt and demanding more intense efforts to place Yoon in detention.
Separated by police barricades and buses, pro-Yoon protesters gathered in nearby streets, denouncing his impeachment and vowing to block any attempt to arrest him.
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