South Korea’s anti-corruption agency has asked the police to take over efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, after investigators faced a standoff with the presidential security service last week.
Both the agency and the police confirmed the request on Monday, just hours before the one-week detention warrant for Yoon was set to expire at midnight (1500 GMT) on Monday.
According to police sources, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) is likely to seek a new court warrant to extend the deadline for Yoon’s detention. The police are currently reviewing the agency’s request internally, and it remains unclear whether another attempt to detain Yoon will be made before the midnight deadline.
Yoon Suk-yeol became the first incumbent South Korean president to face arrest for his failed attempt to declare martial law on December 3. The Seoul Western District Court issued a warrant last Tuesday to detain Yoon and a separate warrant to search his residence. However, executing those warrants has proven challenging as long as Yoon remains in his official residence.
On Sunday, Park Chong-jun, the chief of security for the impeached president, stated that he could not cooperate with efforts to arrest Yoon, citing ongoing legal debates surrounding the arrest warrant. Park defended the presidential security service, emphasizing its 60-year tradition of providing protection to all South Korean presidents, regardless of political affiliation. He also refuted criticisms that the service had been reduced to a “private army.”
The situation has raised concerns about a potential constitutional crisis, as the impasse between law enforcement and the presidential security service continues. Legal experts suggest that the standoff could have significant implications for South Korea’s democratic institutions and the rule of law.
Citizens are closely watching the developments, with many expressing concern over the political turmoil. “It’s important that the law applies equally to everyone, including the president,” said Lee Min-jung, a resident of Seoul. “We need to uphold our democratic principles.”
The coming hours will be critical in determining how the situation unfolds, as authorities weigh their options in enforcing the detention warrant against the impeached president.
