SEOUL, South Korea. Investigators from South Korea’s anti-corruption agency were forced to withdraw from the official residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after a tense six-hour standoff that occurred on Friday. The confrontation, marked by scuffles and a blockade by the presidential security service, highlights the deepening political crisis in South Korea, which has seen two heads of state impeached in under a month.
The anti-corruption agency revealed that its investigators were blocked from entering the residence by the presidential security service, citing safety concerns. According to the agency, “serious regret about the attitude of the suspect, who did not comply with the legal process,” was expressed as the agency temporarily backed down from executing the detainment warrant.
The standoff comes after Yoon declared martial law on December 3, citing frustration over the opposition-dominated parliament blocking his policies. This led to troops being dispatched to surround the National Assembly, which was overturned by parliament within hours, followed by Yoon’s impeachment on December 14 on charges of rebellion.
The warrant for Yoon’s detention, issued by a Seoul court earlier this week, remains valid for one week, but enforcing it has proven challenging due to the security surrounding Yoon. The agency said, “Detaining Yoon would be virtually impossible as long as he is protected by the presidential security service.”
Outside the residence, a growing group of pro-Yoon protesters gathered in freezing temperatures, waving South Korean and American flags and chanting slogans in his support. Thousands of police officers were deployed to maintain order, forming a perimeter around the area.
Yoon’s lawyers have argued that the warrant cannot be enforced at his residence due to a law protecting locations with potential military secrets. They also challenged the authority of the anti-corruption agency, claiming it lacks jurisdiction over rebellion charges.
“The act of blocking the execution of a detainment warrant would constitute an obstruction of official duty,” said Park Seong-bae, a criminal law expert. However, he noted that the law requiring consent for searches in sensitive locations could continue to hinder efforts to detain Yoon.
Meanwhile, the National Police Agency announced plans to investigate the leadership of the presidential security service for allegedly obstructing official duties.
Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended since his impeachment, and his fate now rests with the Constitutional Court. The court requires at least six of its nine justices to uphold the impeachment for Yoon to be formally removed from office.
In a related development, parliament also impeached Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had been acting as president, over his reluctance to fill Constitutional Court vacancies. The new acting president, Choi Sang-mok, has since appointed two new justices, which could influence the court’s decision on Yoon’s impeachment.
This unfolding crisis has further polarized South Korean politics, with opposition lawmakers urging investigators to make another attempt to detain Yoon, while his supporters denounce the agency’s actions as “highly unfair and exceedingly improper.”
As the week progresses, all eyes are on the Constitutional Court’s deliberations, which will determine whether Yoon’s impeachment is upheld or if he is reinstated as president.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
