Yoon arrested over martial law debacle

By Kim Joo-heon, Im Yoon-seo Posted : January 15, 2025, 11:29 Updated : January 15, 2025, 19:48
President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yonhap
SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Investigators arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol after a six-hour confrontation at his official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on Wednesday. This marks the first time in the country's turbulent political history that an incumbent president has been taken into custody.

Accompanied by over 1,000 police officers, hundreds of investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) arrived at the residence around 5:00 a.m. and managed to arrest Yoon at around 10:40 a.m.

Unlike their previous failed attempt earlier this month, CIO investigators were able to break through barricades made of layers of buses, despite opposition from a score of lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and hundreds of Yoon's diehard supporters, as his security officials did not actively block their entry.

Yoon, who had been holed up for over 40 days at his compound shortly after his botched martial law debacle last month, was immediately transferred to the CIO's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province for questioning.

After being grilled, Yoon is expected to be held at a remand prison in Uiwang in the same province.

The CIO reportedly prepared a 200-page questionnaire along with a slew of evidence, but Yoon is apparently opting to remain silent, also refusing to allow the questioning to be recorded.

Since CIO investigators can hold him for up to 48 hours, they must apply for a new warrant to detain him for a longer period. Once issued, they can hold him for a maximum of 20 days. Such a warrant can be issued on the grounds that a suspect is deemed a flight risk or likely to destroy evidence.
 
Police officers confront President Yoon Suk Yeol's diehard supporters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province on Jan. 15, 2025. Yonhap
Just before heading for questioning, he said in a video message that he decided to comply with the CIO's arrest request to prevent any incidents resulting from physical clashes, reiterating that the investigation led by the CIO is "illegal and invalid" because the agency lacks jurisdiction over the charges of insurrection and abuse of power he faces.

He also expressed his regrets, saying, "It is deplorable to see an agency with no investigative rights obtaining arrest warrants through a court with no jurisdiction," and added that the country's rule of law has "completely collapsed."

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