"We will thoroughly prepare for the arrest, with the resolve that it would be the last chance," said Oh Dong-woon, head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), during a National Assembly hearing.
Last week, about 30 CIO investigators attempted to arrest Yoon but had to leave empty-handed after an hours-long standoff with security officials at Yoon's official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Shortly after their failed attempt, criticism surfaced over the CIO's incompetence in handling the case, with some arguing that they were reluctant to arrest the embattled president for fear of a clash with security officials.
The CIO then turned to the police to have them arrest Yoon, but they declined, raising "legal concerns," prompting the CIO to withdraw the request. The anti-corruption agency's investigators now intend to take firm action against security officials if they obstruct Yoon's arrest in their next attempt.
Yet another hurdle is that Yoon has beefed up security by installing wires and setting up barricades around his residence, making it even more difficult for investigators to access it.
Meanwhile, the Seoul Western District Court extended Yoon's arrest warrant later in the day, which had expired the previous day. With the extension, the CIO is expected to soon make another attempt to arrest Yoon.
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