The South Korean military obstructed investigators from arresting the president.
Investigators are attempting to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, but are locked in a standoff with the military unit inside the presidential palace.
Yonhap News Agency reported on January 3rd that the Office of Investigation of Corruption for Senior Officials (CIO) stated in a press release that they had begun executing an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol. However, police officials said that investigators were blocked from entering the presidential palace by a military unit believed to be from the Capital Defense Command.
The CIO has until January 6 to execute arrest warrants on charges of rebellion and abuse of power related to President Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024.
Protests by Yoon's supporters outside the presidential residence further complicated the CIO's efforts, along with the potential for conflict with the Presidential Security Service.
Thousands of supporters have gathered near his residence in recent days to protest President Yoon's impeachment and prevent his arrest. Some have been dispersed and taken away by police.
Observers said that executing the arrest warrant on Saturday (January 4) or Sunday (January 5) could risk facing larger crowds, while executing it on January 6 would be too close to the arrest warrant deadline.
The CIO has collaborated with the police and the Ministry of Defense's investigative unit to conduct a joint investigation into Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law.
The team executing the arrest warrant consisted of 30 people from the CIO and 120 police officers, 70 of whom were waiting outside the presidential residence.
The CIO requested an arrest warrant after Mr. Yoon ignored all three summonses for questioning. The agency also obtained a search warrant for the president's residence.
Yoon's defense team called the arrest warrant "illegal and invalid" and filed a petition to forbid its execution.
