Investigators fail to arrest Yoon after hours-long standoff
By Im Yoon-seoPosted : January 3, 2025, 16:22Updated : January 3, 2025, 17:05
Investigators leave President Yoon Suk Yeol's official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on Jan. 3, 2025. AJP Han Jun-gu
SEOUL, January 3 (AJP) - Investigators left President Yoon Suk Yeol's official residence in Yongsan, Seoul empty-handed on Friday after failing to arrest him.
Their attempt to arrest the embattled president came several days after the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) obtained an arrest warrant for Yoon earlier this week, following his repeated refusal to respond to summons.
A team of 30 investigators left their office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the day and arrived at Yoon's residence around 7:30 a.m., accompanied by about 120 police officers. They managed to enter the presidential compound shortly after their arrival but clashed with security officials who blocked their entry, leading to an hours-long standoff.
President Yoon Suk Yeol's official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul is seen, in this photo taken on Jan. 3, 2025. Yonhap
Around 1:30 p.m., they decided to end their five-hour-long attempt to apprehend Yoon. "The prolonged tense standoff raised concerns for safety, so we decided to return and try again at a later time," said one CIO investigator. "It is regretful that [Yoon] continues to refuse to comply with legal procedures," he added.
They are expected to make another attempt to arrest Yoon over the weekend before his arrest warrant expires on Jan. 6. If arrested, investigators can hold him for up to 48 hours.
Police control traffic as people gather near President Yoon Suk Yeol's official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on Jan. 3, 2025. Yonhap
Meanwhile, thousands of die-hard supporters of Yoon gathered earlier in the day to prevent his arrest, with some staying overnight in a sit-in protest in freezing weather. Squadrons of police were deployed to the scene and surrounding areas in preparation for possible clashes.
Yoon, who had previously advocated that all individuals must be treated equally under the law regardless of their status, has been refusing to comply with the warrant, claiming that the CIO lacks the jurisdiction and authority to investigate him on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.
His legal representatives said that they will seek legal action in response to the warrant, which they deem "illegal and invalid."
