SEOUL, South Korea – January 15: Investigators arrive at the entrance to the residence of president Yoon Suk Yeol, as authorities try to execute an arrest warrant, in Seoul, South Korea, on January 15, 2025.
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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested Wednesday by the country's Corruption Investigation Office for high-ranking officials, a first for a sitting South Korean leader.
It was the second bid to arrest the impeached president, after a failed attempt on January 3 when agents of South Korea's Presidential Security Service prevented investigators from ' enter Yoon's residence.
Unlike the first attempt, “this time, there were no individuals or security personnel interfering with the execution, and there was no significant physical conflict,” said the CIO.
About 3,000 police officers were involved in the second attempt to access Yoon's compound, Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korean media outlets too Yoon said in a pre-recorded video he said “the law of the land has fallen,” and called the CIO's investigation “illegal.” Yoon said he will appear before the CIO to “prevent unpleasant bloodshed,” according to Google's translation of the reports in Korean.
South Korean stocks had a calm reaction to the news, with the blue chip Kospi changed so far -0.21% compared to yesterday.
The win was slightly weak against the US dollar, which was last trading at 1,459.75. Yields on South Korea's benchmark 10-year bond also rose.
The CIO had first requested the arrest warrant after Yoon failed to appear for questioning, namely granted on December 31 by the Seoul district court. The warrant was then extended after initially expiring on January 6.
Yoon faces possible terrorism charges after his summary declaration of martial law on December 3, a charge that is not subject to presidential immunity and carries the death penalty at the maximum.
Yoon made a surprise appearance on his late-night broadcast and declared martial law last month, citing the need to protect the country from “North Korean communist forces” and “restraining forces.” This was the first time martial law was declared in South Korea in over 40 years.
Lawmakers then managed to bypass police barricades and voted down the declaration in the country's parliament, before filing impeachment motions against Yoon a few days later. Yoon was fired on December 14 and suspended.
The Constitutional Court of South Korea has it he opened the impeachment trial January 14 against Ion, but postponed it to January 16 after Ion did not turn up.
