President Yoon Suk Yeol gives a public statement at the presidential office on Dec. 12, 2024, denouncing the main opposition Democratic Party for paralyzing state affairs with its abuse of impeachments, in this file photo provided by Yoon’s office. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The state anti-corruption agency is likely to proceed with a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as early as Thursday after a Seoul court granted the warrant over his brief imposition of martial law.
The Seoul Western District Court issued the warrant against Yoon on Tuesday on charges of masterminding the short-lived Dec. 3 martial law declaration and abusing his power. Yoon has become the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest.
Since the warrant was issued, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has been coordinating with the police over the precise timing and method for executing the warrant.
The CIO requested the warrant after Yoon ignored all three summonses to appear for questioning as part of its joint investigation with the police and the defense ministry’s investigation unit over the martial law bid.
While warrants are swiftly carried out once issued, the CIO appears to be mindful of how and when it is executed, given that it targets a sitting president.
The presidential security service has said it would take security measures in accordance with due process after the warrant was issued, raising concerns it might obstruct investigators from detaining Yoon on security grounds.
The CIO has vowed to execute the warrant, which will expire Monday.
Along with the detention warrant, the court also issued a warrant for investigators to search the presidential residence, outlining an exception to laws that restrict searches in locations with military secrets or seizing official secrets without consent.
The security service had previously prevented investigators from raiding the presidential office on such grounds.
Oh Dong-woon, the CIO chief, called on the security service Wednesday to cooperate, warning that any attempt to block the execution of the warrants could amount to dereliction of duty and obstruction of official duties.
If Yoon is arrested, investigators plan to take him to the CIO’s headquarters in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, for questioning before detaining him at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang near the CIO’s office.
Once detained, the CIO will have 48 hours to either seek another warrant for Yoon’s formal arrest for further detention or release him.
(Yonhap)
