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Attempt to arrest S Korea president Yoon suspended after dramatic standoff | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Investigators say they will decide on next steps after a review | Investigators say they will decide on next steps after a review |
South Korean investigators have called off an attempt to arrest suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol after a dramatic six-hour standoff with the security team outside his home. | |
"We've determined that the arrest is practically impossible," said the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which has been investigating Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration. | |
"Next steps will be decided after review," the CIO said, adding that Yoon's "refusal of the legal process" is "deeply regrettable". | "Next steps will be decided after review," the CIO said, adding that Yoon's "refusal of the legal process" is "deeply regrettable". |
Yoon's supporters, who have been camped out in front of the presidential residence for days, cheered in song and dance as the suspension was announced. "We won!" they chanted. | |
The CIO said that concern for the safety of the team on the ground was another factor in their decision to call off the attempted arrest. | |
Investigators have until 6 January to arrest Yoon before the current warrant expires. They can, however, apply for a new warrant and try to detain him again. | |
Since early morning, dozens of police vans lined the street outside Yoon's residence in central Seoul. | |
At about 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT), an arrest team made up of police officers and CIO members marched towards the compound. | |
This started out with a 20-strong team, but quickly multiplied to some 150 people. | |
While about half of the arrest team was able to get inside, they were locked for hours in a standoff with security officers - who are still responsible for protecting Yoon, despite him being stripped of his powers - and a military unit responsible for protecting the city of Seoul. | |
At one point the security team engaged in a "confrontation with the CIO at the presidential residence", an official with Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP. | |
Before the attempt was stood down, Yoon's security team told the news agency they had been "in negotiation" with the investigators who sought to access the president. | |
Yoon's legal team was also seen entering the residence slightly past noon local time. | |
His lawyer Yoon Gab-keun had earlier said they would take legal action over the arrest warrant, which they called "illegal and invalid". | |
A Seoul court issued the arrest warrant early this week, after Yoon ignored three summonses to appear for questioning over the past fortnight. | |
On Friday, prosecutors also indicted on insurrection charges army chief Park An-su, who was named martial law commander during the brief declaration last month, and special forces commander Kwak Jong-geun, according to Seoul-based news outlet Yonhap. | |
They are to face trial while in prison. |