After a dramatic six-hour stand-off with security forces, South Korea police have called off an attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The military and Yoon’s security service officers formed a human wall and used vehicles to block the arrest team’s path, local news outlet, Yonhap reported.
Yoon is under investigation for abusing his power and inciting an insurrection when he tried to impose martial law in early December of last year.
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The move, although short-lived led to a political crisis as Yoon was impeached by an opposition-led parliament and suspended from office. Thereafter, a Seoul court issued a warrant for his arrest early this week after he ignored three summons for him to appear for questioning.
If they had been successful, Yoon would have become the first sitting president to be arrested in the history of South Korea. Since early morning on Friday, dozens of police vans lined the street outside Yoon’s residence in central Seoul.
At about 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT), an arrest team made up of police officers and Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) members marched towards the compound. The operation started out with a 20-strong team, but quickly multiplied to some 150 people. Even then, they were outnumbered.
While about half of the team was able to get inside, they were locked for hours in a standoff with security officers – who are still responsible for protecting Yoon, despite him being stripped of his powers – and a military unit responsible for protecting the city of Seoul.
At one point, Yoon’s security team engaged in a “confrontation” with the investigating officers, an official with Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.
“We’ve determined that the arrest is practically impossible,” said the CIO, which has been investigating Yoon’s short-lived martial law declaration last month.
“Yoon’s refusal of the legal process is deeply regrettable,” the CIO said, adding that next steps will be decided after a review.
Yoon’s supporters, who have been camped out in front of the presidential residence for days, cheered in song and dance as the suspension was announced. “We won!” they chanted.
The CIO said that concern for the safety of the team on the ground was another factor in their decision to call off the attempted arrest.
