South Korean investigators abandon effort to detain impeached president after hours-long standoff | Global News Avenue

Seoul, South Korea — South Korean investigators left the official residence of impeached President Yoon Seok-yeol after a nearly six-hour standoff, during which he defied their attempts to detain him. It’s the latest confrontation in a political crisis that has paralyzed South Korean politics and crippled the country’s economy. Two heads of state were impeached Less than a month.

The country’s anti-corruption agency said it withdrew investigators after presidential security services prevented them from entering Yin’s residence for several hours due to security concerns.

The agency said its undermanned investigators engaged in several scuffles with presidential security forces and expressed serious regret over the suspect’s failure to follow legal procedures.

The National Police Agency said it plans to investigate the director and deputy director of the Cheong Wa Dae Security Agency on suspicion of obstructing official duties and will summon them for questioning on Saturday.

Yoon is a former prosecutor who investigators have been trying to question for weeks. He is understood to have left his official residence for the last time on December 12, when he traveled to the nearby Cheong Wa Dae to deliver a televised statement to the nation, provocatively saying he would fight efforts to oust him.

Investigators from the country’s anti-corruption agency are weighing rebellion charges against Mr Yoon, apparently frustrated that his policies have been blocked by the opposition-dominated parliament. Martial law was declared on December 3 and sent troops to surround the National Assembly.

Congress voted unanimously within hours to overturn the statement and impeach Yoon on Dec. 14, charging him with rebellion, while South Korea’s anti-corruption authorities and prosecutors launched separate investigations into the incidents.

A Seoul court issued a detention order for Mr. Yoon on Tuesday, but enforcement is complicated as long as he remains at his official residence.

Yoon’s lawyers challenged the search warrant on Thursday, saying it could not be executed at his residence because the law stipulates that locations that may be related to military secrets cannot be searched without the consent of the person in charge.

The office said it would discuss further action but did not immediately say whether it would try again to detain Yoon. The detention order is valid for one week.

Yoon’s lawyers also argued that the Office for the Investigation of Corruption of Senior Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military investigators, lacked the authority to investigate the insurrection allegations. They said police had no legal authority to assist in detaining Yin and could face arrest “by the presidential security services or any citizen.” They did not elaborate further on the claim.

If investigators manage to detain Yin, they may ask the court to authorize a formal arrest. Otherwise, it will be released after 48 hours.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, called the anti-corruption agency’s withdrawal regrettable and urged the agency to try again to detain Yoon on Friday.

Kwon Young-se, chairman of the emergency leadership committee of Yun’s conservative People’s Power party, called the agency’s efforts to detain Yun “very unfair and extremely inappropriate” and said there was no risk that Yun would try to escape or destroy evidence.

Thousands of police officers gathered at Mr. Yoon’s residence on Friday, forming a cordon around a growing number of pro-Yin protesters who braved freezing temperatures for hours waving South Korean and American flags. At the same time, they chanted slogans vowing to protect Mr. Yin. There were no immediate reports of major clashes outside the residence.

Dozens of investigators and police were seen entering the gate of Seoul’s residence to enforce a detention order against Yoon, but the dramatic scene quickly developed into a standoff. At noon, two lawyers, Yoon Gap-geun and Kim Hong-il, were spotted entering the gate of the presidential residence. It’s unclear what lawyers discussed with the president.

Seok Dong-hyeon, another lawyer on Yoon’s legal team, said the agency’s actions in detaining Yoon were “reckless” and showed a “shameless abandonment of the law.”

South Korea’s Defense Ministry confirmed that investigators and police passed through military units guarding the grounds of the residence before arriving at the building. The presidential security service, which controls the residence itself, declined to comment. South Korea’s YTN television reported the scuffle as investigators and police confronted the president’s security forces.

As the standoff progressed, the Democratic Party called on the country’s acting leader, Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, to order the presidential security service to cease operations. Choi did not immediately comment on the matter.

Democratic lawmaker Cho Seung-rae said, “Don’t drag upright presidential security staff and other public officials into the abyss of crime.” Choe said Choi must “remember that it is your responsibility to quickly resolve the rebellion and prevent further chaos.” .

Yin’s defense minister, police chief and several top military commanders have been arrested for their roles during martial law.

Yoon Eun-hye’s presidential powers have been suspended since Congress voted to impeach her on December 14. Yoon Eun-hye’s fate now depends on the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon Eun-hye or reinstate him. At least six of the nine Constitutional Court judges must vote in favor to remove him.

South Korea’s National Assembly voted last week to impeach South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, who served as acting president after Yoon Eun-hye was suspended, over his unwillingness to fill three vacancies in the Constitutional Court before the court reviews Yoon Eun-hye’s case.

Faced with mounting pressure, new acting President Cui Tiankai appointed two new judges on Tuesday, which may increase the likelihood that the court will support Yun Eun-hye’s impeachment.