Scuffle in front of the palace

South Korea’s president was spectacularly arrested

Yoon together with party supporters

(Bild: AFP/JUNG YEON-JE)

This has never happened before in South Korea! Ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol has been arrested for his brief declaration of martial law. The arrest warrant was executed on Wednesday morning, according to the authorities, who are investigating Yoon for sedition.

This makes him the country's first sitting head of state to be taken into custody. In a video message, Yoon explained that he had decided to submit to questioning.

Yoon wants to prevent "bloodshed"
He had decided to answer questions, Yoon said in the video. He did not recognize the legitimacy of the investigation, but would submit to questioning "to prevent unfortunate bloodshed". Yoon left his presidential residence in the center of the capital Seoul in a convoy and arrived at the office of the anti-corruption agency CIO.

Investigators had earlier entered the residence, where the ousted head of state had retreated with the protection of his loyal presidential guard to avoid arrest. His guards had secured the area with barbed wire and barricades.

Scuffle before arrest
Journalists witnessed a brief scuffle at the gate of the residence (see tweet above). Yoon's supporters had camped there to protect him. They chanted: "Illegal arrest warrant!" As reported by Yonhap News TV, Yoon's supporters were forcibly removed by police and CIO officials. According to the report, around 30 members of Yoon's party also stood in the way of the investigators. Television footage also showed how the forces used ladders to enter the grounds of Yoon's residence.

On January 3, officials from Yoon's presidential security service, including soldiers, had already prevented investigators from arresting him. They then abandoned their plan for the time being. The new attempt to arrest Yoon is based on a new arrest warrant issued on Tuesday.

Yoon had plunged South Korea into a political crisis at the beginning of December by briefly declaring martial law. He had made use of the measure in a budget dispute and thus startled both the domestic and international public. As a result, tens of thousands of people took to the streets against Yoon and for the preservation of democracy in South Korea, but supporters of Yoon also demonstrated.

President entrenched himself 
Parliament voted in favor of the president's removal, which the Constitutional Court still has to make a final decision on. The proceedings began on Tuesday. In addition, the authorities began investigating the deposed head of state for sedition after martial law was declared. However, Yoon has so far refused to speak to the public prosecutor's office and is holed up in the presidential residence.

The opposition party DP celebrated the arrest of the ousted head of state. "The arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol is the first step towards restoring constitutional order, democracy and the rule of law," said faction leader Park Chan Dae at a party meeting.