Camille Naredo

This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. HANDOUT/South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap/AFP/File

This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. - Yoon on December 14 said he would "step aside" after parliament voted to remove him from office, urging an end to "politics of excess and confrontation". South Korean lawmakers on Saturday impeached Yoon over his failed martial law bid, with the opposition declaring a "victory of the people". (Photo by Handout / South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap / AFP) / - South Korea OUT / - SOUTH KOREA OUT / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE VIA YONHAP" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Article (news)

SOUTH KOREA

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1735968844060AFP__20241214__36QB3BH__v2__Preview__TopshotSkoreaPoliticsUnrest.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. HANDOUT/South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap/AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap taken and released on December 14, 2024 shows President Yoon Suk Yeol giving a public address from his official residence in Seoul. <em>HANDOUT/South Korean Presidential Office via Yonhap/AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean investigators attempted to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence Friday over a failed martial law bid but were blocked by his security forces.</p><p>They stood down just days before the arrest warrant expires on Monday.</p><p>AFP takes a look at what could happen next:</p><div><strong>- Another arrest -</strong></div><p>The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) may attempt to execute the arrest warrant for Yoon again before the January 6 deadline.</p><p>&quot;Future actions will be decided after further review,&quot; it said after halting its initial attempt.</p><p>If Yoon is arrested before that date, the CIO will have 48 hours to either request a new warrant for his formal arrest or release him.</p><p>Yoon&#x27;s lawyers have repeatedly said that the warrant issued by the court is &quot;unlawful&quot; and &quot;illegal&quot;, pledging to take further legal action against it.</p><p>The Presidential Security Service has also asserted that the CIO &quot;unlawfully intruded&quot; into the presidential residence and said it would hold the investigators &quot;legally accountable&quot; for their actions.</p><p>Two top officials from Yoon&#x27;s presidential security service also refused a police request to appear for questioning on Saturday, citing the &quot;serious nature&quot; of protecting him, the service said in a statement sent to AFP.</p><p>Even if January 6 comes and goes, the CIO can reapply for the same seven-day detention warrant.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/4/south-korea-in-political-crisis-after-president-resists-arrest-1046">READ: South Korea in political crisis after president resists arrest</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/3/south-korean-investigators-abandon-arrest-of-president-yoon-1833">READ: South Korean investigators abandon arrest of President Yoon</a></div><div><strong>- Stronger warrant -</strong></div><p>If they fail to detain Yoon before the January 6 deadline, investigators could seek a new, stronger arrest warrant that would allow them to detain him longer than the 48 hours allowed under the current court order.</p><p>Experts say it&#x27;s likely a court would approve a stronger warrant, given that Yoon has already refused to appear for questioning three times and has not complied with the existing warrant.</p><p>A stronger warrant is typically issued when &quot;a suspect refuses to cooperate with the investigation&quot;, political commentator Park Sang-byung told AFP.</p><p>Yoon has also &quot;incited and encouraged extreme (right-wing) supporters, which could be seen as effectively admitting to the criminal charges in the eyes of the court&quot;, he added.</p><p>But executing this type of warrant, even if issued by the court, may not be feasible if Yoon again refuses to leave his residence with the assistance of his security forces, which include a military unit.</p><div><strong>- Acting president acts -</strong></div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABSm-LXXY2A5C9oS&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script></div><p>The prolonged standoff within the presidential residence compound on Friday led the CIO and opposition Democratic Party to urge acting President Choi Sang-mok to order the presidential security service to cooperate.</p><p>&quot;It is practically impossible to execute the arrest warrant as long as the security officials from the Presidential Security Service continue their protection,&quot; the CIO said in a statement.</p><p>Choi, a member of Yoon&#x27;s ruling People Power Party who also serves as deputy prime minister and finance minister, is yet to comment on the issue.</p><p>Experts suggest that if Choi orders the security service to cooperate, the chances of Yoon being arrested before the January 6 deadline will increase.</p><p>But the acting president has already faced severe backlash from his party for appointing two new justices to fill three vacancies on the Constitutional Court.</p><p>That decision has increased the likelihood of the court upholding Yoon&#x27;s impeachment -- with at least six out of eight justices needed to back the decision.</p><p>Given the situation, &quot;it is unlikely that Choi would cooperate with the CIO&#x27;s request&quot;, Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, told AFP.</p><p>Choi&#x27;s short-lived predecessor in the role of acting president and prime minister, Han Duck-soo, was impeached by lawmakers after he refused a key opposition demand to install three more judges at the Constitutional Court, viewed as impeding Yoon&#x27;s potential removal from office.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/12/14/south-korean-lawmakers-impeach-president-yoon-over-martial-law-bid-1611">READ: South Korean lawmakers impeach President Yoon over martial law bid</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/12/15/s-korean-opposition-urges-swift-removal-of-impeached-president-yoon-1647">READ: S. Korean opposition urges swift removal of impeached President Yoon</a></div><div><strong>- Wait for court -</strong></div><p>South Korea&#x27;s Constitutional Court has up to 180 days to determine whether to dismiss Yoon as president or restore his powers.</p><p>Until then, while suspended, Yoon holds the title of president.</p><p>Experts suggest the process for investigators to prosecute or formally arrest Yoon would be much easier were he to be stripped of the presidential title.</p><p>But the 180-day timeframe is considerable and could potentially delay proceedings significantly.</p><p>The Constitutional Court has said it will expedite the impeachment trial due to the seriousness of the case.</p><p>But Yoon&#x27;s lawyers argued Friday that the court must utilize the full 180 days to conduct the hearings, especially to examine &quot;the circumstances that led to the declaration of martial law&quot;.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>South Korean investigators attempted to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence Friday over a failed martial law bid but were blocked by his security forces.</p>

South Korean investigators attempted to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence Friday over a failed martial law bid but were blocked by his security forces.

South Korea's political crisis: What could happen next?

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South Korea's political crisis: What could happen next?

Agence France-Presse,

Claire Lee

Published Jan 04, 2025 02:13 PM PHT

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South Korea

impeachment

martial law

Yoon Suk Yeol

Choi Sang-mok

Presidential Security Service

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