South Korea’s accused president, Yun Suk Yoo, has been arrested, local media reported.
Security personnel gather near parked buses to protect impeached South Korean President Yun Suk-yeol from a possible second arrest attempt, at the main entrance of his official residence in Seoul, South Korea, January 8, 2025.
Reuters | Kim Hong-ji
South Korean President Yun Suk-yeol. He was reportedly arrested. The Office of Corruption Investigation of the country’s top officials, the first for a sitting South Korean leader.
It was the second bid to capture the impeached president, following a failed attempt on January 3 when agents of South Korea’s Presidential Security Service prevented investigators from entering Yoon’s residence.
About 1,000 police officers were involved in the second attempt to execute the arrest warrant, 10 times more than the first attempt.
The CIO initially requested an arrest warrant after Yoon failed to appear for questioning, which was granted by the Seoul District Court on December 31. The warrant was extended after it initially expired on January 6.
Yoon was charged with sedition after he declared martial law on December 3, a charge that is not subject to presidential immunity and carries a maximum penalty of death.
On December 3, Yun made a nightly broadcast citing the need to protect the country from “North Korean communist forces” and “anti-government forces” and declared martial law. This is the first time martial law has been declared in South Korea in more than 40 years.
Lawmakers passed a police barricade and voted in the country’s parliament, before filing charges against Yoon a few days later. Yun was indicted on December 14 and suspended from office.
South Korea has a constitutional court
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