South Korea’s anti-corruption agency announced on Monday its decision to transfer the execution of an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol to the police, as the warrant is set to expire the same day.
Yoon Suk-yeol is under criminal investigation for insurrection following his December 3 martial law declaration, an action that shocked the nation and led to his impeachment. The arrest warrant was issued after Yoon repeatedly failed to appear for questioning.
On December 14 last year, the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against Yoon, which was subsequently submitted to the Constitutional Court. The court is allotted up to 180 days to deliberate, during which Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended.
Last week, in a dramatic six-hour standoff at his compound in central Seoul, presidential guards and military forces blocked authorities from arresting Yoon. The tense situation underscored the deep political divisions within the country.
With the court-ordered warrant set to expire on Monday, officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is investigating Yoon’s martial law declaration, may attempt another arrest before the deadline. According to local media outlet YTN, the anti-corruption agency plans to request an extension of the execution period for the warrant.
Yoon’s legal team has consistently contested the validity of the warrant, labeling it “unlawful” and “illegal.” They have pledged to pursue further legal actions to challenge the warrant and any attempts at arrest.
The unfolding situation has left South Korea in a state of uncertainty, as the nation awaits the Constitutional Court’s decision on the impeachment and observes how the legal proceedings against the former president will develop.
