While an arrest warrant has been issued for Yoon Suk-yeol after his attempt to impose martial law, the presidential security service prevents investigators from entering his residence.
Published on 02/01/2025 07:54
Updated on 02/01/2025 08:27
Reading time: 2min
Holed up in his official residence in Seoul, deposed South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol resisted his arrest on Thursday, January 2, and for the third day in a row, promising to “fight until the end” against authorities who seek to question him over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
The Senior Corruption Investigation Bureau, which is centralizing investigations into the December 3 coup, has until January 6 to execute the arrest warrant issued by a Seoul court against Yoon Suk-yeol. He had requested this arrest warrant after the deposed president ignored three consecutive summons to be questioned.
After his attempt to impose martial law, Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached by Parliament on December 14 and is currently suspended, pending the Constitutional Court validating or invalidating the dismissal voted by the deputies by mid-June. He remains on paper the president of the country, but he is under investigation for “rebellion”, a crime punishable by death.
The 64-year-old former prosecutor has, however, shown no contrition since his dismissal, going so far as to send a message of distrust to his base. “The Republic of Korea is currently in danger due to internal and external forces threatening its sovereignty, and the activities of anti-state elements”he wrote in a letter addressed to his supporters.
His legal team has filed an appeal against the arrest warrant, arguing that it is “illegal and invalid”. And the presidential security service has so far prevented investigators from entering, citing a law prohibiting searches of places containing state secrets without the consent of the person responsible.
