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| Police en route to arrest South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Yoon, whose supporters are denying access to his home, is under investigation for attempting to impose martial law | Yoon, whose supporters are denying access to his home, is under investigation for attempting to impose martial law |
| South Korean anti-corruption investigators were en route to carry out an arrest warrant for the impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol early on Friday, as protesters faced off with police outside his residence and vowed to block any attempt. | |
| Yoon is under criminal investigation for his short-lived martial law attempt on 3 December. An arrest would be unprecedented for an incumbent South Korean president. | Yoon is under criminal investigation for his short-lived martial law attempt on 3 December. An arrest would be unprecedented for an incumbent South Korean president. |
| Yonhap reported that officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials – which is leading a joint team of investigators that include the police and prosecutors – had left their headquarters to execute the warrant. | Yonhap reported that officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials – which is leading a joint team of investigators that include the police and prosecutors – had left their headquarters to execute the warrant. |
| The broadcaster YTN reported that approximately 2,800 police had been mobilised in preparation for executing the warrant. | The broadcaster YTN reported that approximately 2,800 police had been mobilised in preparation for executing the warrant. |
| It was unclear exactly how police would make the arrest and whether the presidential security service, which has blocked access by investigators with a search warrant to Yoon’s office and official residence, would try to stop it. | It was unclear exactly how police would make the arrest and whether the presidential security service, which has blocked access by investigators with a search warrant to Yoon’s office and official residence, would try to stop it. |
| About 100 protesters were gathered near his residence in the pre-dawn hours, after local media reports suggested investigating authorities would soon try to execute an arrest warrant that was approved on Tuesday after Yoon refused summons to appear. | About 100 protesters were gathered near his residence in the pre-dawn hours, after local media reports suggested investigating authorities would soon try to execute an arrest warrant that was approved on Tuesday after Yoon refused summons to appear. |
| “We have to block them with our lives,” one was heard saying to others. About a dozen protesters tried to block a group of police officers at the entrance to a pedestrian overpass. | “We have to block them with our lives,” one was heard saying to others. About a dozen protesters tried to block a group of police officers at the entrance to a pedestrian overpass. |
| Yoon had previously told supporters in a letter he would “fight until the end”. | Yoon had previously told supporters in a letter he would “fight until the end”. |
| “I am watching on YouTube live all the hard work you are doing,” Yoon wrote late on Wednesday to the hundreds of supporters who had gathered near his official residence to protest against the investigation into him. | “I am watching on YouTube live all the hard work you are doing,” Yoon wrote late on Wednesday to the hundreds of supporters who had gathered near his official residence to protest against the investigation into him. |
| “I will fight until the end to protect this country together with you,” he said in the letter, a photo capture of which was sent to the media by Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer advising Yoon. | “I will fight until the end to protect this country together with you,” he said in the letter, a photo capture of which was sent to the media by Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer advising Yoon. |
| The warrant for Yoon’s arrest and a search of his office and residence was issued after he defied repeated summons by investigators to appear for questioning in the criminal investigation separate from the constitutional court trial. | The warrant for Yoon’s arrest and a search of his office and residence was issued after he defied repeated summons by investigators to appear for questioning in the criminal investigation separate from the constitutional court trial. |
| Yoon sent shockwaves through the country with a late-night announcement on 3 December that he was imposing martial law to overcome political deadlock and root out “anti-state forces”. | |
| Within hours, however, 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of troops and police to vote against Yoon’s order. About six hours after his initial decree, Yoon rescinded it. | |
| He later issued a defiant defence of his decision, saying domestic political opponents are sympathetic to North Korea and citing uncorroborated claims of election tampering. | |
| Yoon has been isolated since he was impeached and suspended from power on 14 December. | |
| Separate from the criminal investigation, his impeachment case is currently before the constitutional court to decide whether to reinstate or permanently remove him. A second hearing in that case is scheduled for later on Friday. |