15th January 2025 – (Seoul) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally arrested, becoming the first sitting president in the nation’s history to face such a charge. This unprecedented event unfolded early on Wednesday, 15th January, when investigators successfully executed a second arrest warrant at the presidential residence in a move that marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political crisis.
South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) announced on Wednesday that during an investigation conducted from 11am to 1.30pm local time, the impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol repeatedly refused to provide any statements and declined to allow the questioning to be recorded or videotaped.
Local media reported that the CIO is currently in discussions with the presidential security service regarding the potential transfer of Yoon to the Seoul Detention Centre for custody. Additionally, the CIO is contemplating applying for a detention warrant from the Seoul Western District Court, which previously issued an arrest warrant for Yoon. If the application is approved, the detention could be extended for a maximum of 20 days. The CIO intends to transfer Yoon to the prosecution after 10 days of detention.
In response, Yoon’s legal team released a statement asserting that the CIO lacks the authority to investigate the president and that the arrest warrant is “illegal.” They pledged to hold the CIO and the police legally accountable for what they described as the unlawful execution of the arrest warrant.
The arrest occurred at approximately 10.33am, following a tense standoff that saw authorities breach barricades set up by Yoon’s Presidential Security Service (PSS). More than 1,000 officers were deployed in the operation, which involved the use of ladders and wire cutters to navigate obstacles erected to prevent access to the compound.
Yoon, who has been under investigation for charges of insurrection following his controversial attempt to impose martial law, stated he agreed to cooperate with the investigation to avoid bloodshed. “I decided to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), even though it is an illegal investigation,” he said in a video message. He has consistently maintained that the warrant for his arrest lacks legal validity.
The political turmoil surrounding Yoon has intensified since his failed martial law declaration in December, which led to his impeachment by parliament. While still technically the president, a constitutional court must determine the legitimacy of his impeachment.
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