Under arrest warrant, deposed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol remained, THURSDAY, holed up in his residence, promising to “fight until the end” against authorities who seek to question him over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
Since his coup on December 3, Yoon Suk Yeol has shown no regrets and his systematic refusal to submit to questions from investigators has raised fears that an attempted arrest could degenerate into violence, further aggravating the serious crisis that he is going through. the fourth largest economy in Asia.
The Office of Investigation into Senior Corruption (CIO), which centralizes investigations, has until January 6 to execute the arrest warrant issued by a court at its request, unprecedented against a southern head of state -Korean.
Yoon Suk Yeol remains president on paper, suspended since the impeachment voted on December 14 by Parliament.
The deposed president, who does not have the right to leave the country, is in his official residence in Seoul, his lawyer confirmed to AFP. His legal team has filed an appeal against the arrest warrant, arguing that it is “illegal and invalid”.
Since the mandate was issued on Tuesday, his supporters and detractors have demonstrated almost constantly near his residence, insulting each other over the police officers who separate them with scuffles observed.
“Protect the President,” chanted pro-Yoon people who lay down on the ground to block access to the residence.
“We think that the IOC will go through the main entrance (…) to arrest President Yoon and so our comrades lay down to prevent him,” Rhee Kang-san explained to AFP.
Among the opponents, Bae Hoon indicated that he had to back down against the opposing camp: “Most of the opponents were beaten and attacked several times by people who were displaying the national flag,” deplores the protester.
Delirious
The IOC requested an arrest warrant after the ousted president, who is under investigation for “rebellion” – a crime punishable by death – ignored three consecutive summons to be questioned.
Yoon Suk Yeol stunned South Korea on the night of December 3 to 4 by imposing martial law and sending the army to Parliament to try to muzzle him, an episode that reminded the country of the dark hours of the military dictatorship .
He was forced to backtrack a few hours later, when MPs managed to enter Parliament and pass a motion demanding the lifting of martial law while their aides blocked the chamber doors with furniture and thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators gathered outside.
The 64-year-old former star prosecutor has shown no contrition since his dismissal, even vowing to “fight until the end” in a letter distributed to his supporters.
“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 writes there.
A message “delirious”said Jo Seoung-lae, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, the main opposition force, accusing Yoon of inciting violence.
IOC chief Oh Dong-woon warned that anyone who tried to prevent Yoon’s arrest could face prosecution themselves.
A court also issued search warrants for the ousted president’s official residence and other locations.
But 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.
It is unclear how many guards are with Yoon, and how they will react if arrested. The official line of the presidential security service is to obey court orders.
On the political level, the crisis worsened on Friday when Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was acting president, was in turn dismissed by Parliament.
Presidential powers are now in the hands of Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok.
Choi has since partially complied with an opposition demand by appointing two new judges to the Constitutional Court, three of whose nine seats are vacant. This Court must rule by a two-thirds majority to confirm the dismissal of the president, otherwise he will automatically return to his chair.
