South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was finally arrested by authorities on Wednesday. According to investigators, Yoon was nabbed over insurrection accusations related to the martial law declaration on December 3.
Yoon’s presidential motorcade left the hillside residence where he has been holed up for weeks behind barbed wire barriers and a small army of personal security, and later arrived at the offices of the anti-corruption agency heading the probe.
Avoiding Violence
In a statement, Yoon said he submitted himself for questioning to avoid any violence after more than 3,000 police officers marched towards his residence to arrest him in the early hours on Wednesday.
“When I saw them break into the security area using firefighting equipment today, I decided to respond to the CIO’s investigation – despite it being an illegal investigation – to prevent unsavoury bloodshed,” Yoon said in a statement.
Detention Illegal?
Yoon’s lawyers have argued attempts to detain Yoon are illegal and are designed to publicly humiliate him. The warrant investigators secured for his arrest is the first ever issued against an incumbent South Korean president.
As local news broadcasters reported that Yoon’s detention may come soon, some minor scuffles broke out between tearful pro-Yoon protesters and police near the residence, according to a Reuters witness at the scene.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law stunned South Koreans and plunged one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies into an unprecedented period of political turmoil. Lawmakers voted to impeach him and remove him from duties on December 14.
Separately, the Constitutional Court is deliberating over to uphold that impeachment and permanently remove him from office.
In The Midst Of A Trial
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Constitutional Court briefly convened and swiftly adjourned the opening session of Yoon’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, following his absence from the proceedings.
A lawyer advising Yoon had said the president would not attend, saying a bid by authorities to detain him prevented Yoon from expressing his position at the trial.
The next trial session is scheduled for January 16. Acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae said, even if Yoon does not attend, the trial proceedings would still go ahead with his legal team representing him.
(With inputs from Reuters)
