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| Attempt to arrest S Korea president suspended after dramatic standoff | Attempt to arrest S Korea president suspended after dramatic standoff |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Pro-Yoon Suk Yeol supporters at his resdience in Seoul | Pro-Yoon Suk Yeol supporters at his resdience in Seoul |
| After a dramatic six-hour long standoff with security, South Korea police have called off an attempt to arrest suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol. | |
| The military and Yoon's security service officers formed a human wall and used vehicles to block the arrest team's path, local news outlet Yonhap reported. | |
| Yoon is under investigation for abusing his power and inciting an insurrection when he tried to impose martial law in early December. | Yoon is under investigation for abusing his power and inciting an insurrection when he tried to impose martial law in early December. |
| The move, although short-lived, led to a political crisis as Yoon was impeached by an opposition-led parliament and suspended from office. | |
| A Seoul court issued a warrant for his arrest early this week after he ignored three summonses for him to appear for questioning. | A Seoul court issued a warrant for his arrest early this week after he ignored three summonses for him to appear for questioning. |
| If they had been successful, Yoon would have become the first sitting president to be arrested in South Korea's history. | |
| Since early morning on Friday, dozens of police vans lined the street outside Yoon's residence in central Seoul. | Since early morning on Friday, 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. | At about 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT), an arrest team made up of police officers and CIO members marched towards the compound. |
| The operation started out with a 20-strong team, but quickly multiplied to some 150 people. Even then, they were outnumbered. | The operation started out with a 20-strong team, but quickly multiplied to some 150 people. Even then, they were outnumbered. |
| While about half of the 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. | While about half of the 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 Yoon's security team engaged in a "confrontation" with the investgating officers, an official with Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP. | |
| "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 last month. | "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 last month. |
| Anti-corruption investigators leave the residence of President Yoon Suk Yeol | Anti-corruption investigators leave the residence of President Yoon Suk Yeol |
| Yoon's "refusal of the legal process" is "deeply regrettable", the CIO said, adding that next steps will be decided after a review. | Yoon's "refusal of the legal process" is "deeply regrettable", the CIO said, adding that next steps will be decided after a review. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| What's next? | |
| This development is not unexpected, given Yoon's defiance throughout the investigation process. | This development is not unexpected, given Yoon's defiance throughout the investigation process. |
| Experts say that as a former chief prosecutor, Yoon is well aware of the legal loopholes available for his defence. | Experts say that as a former chief prosecutor, Yoon is well aware of the legal loopholes available for his defence. |
| Investigators have until 6 January to arrest him before the current warrant expires. | Investigators have until 6 January to arrest him before the current warrant expires. |
| This means they may attempt to arrest Yoon again over the weekend, although this could be logistically challenging as the crowds are likely to swell. | This means they may attempt to arrest Yoon again over the weekend, although this could be logistically challenging as the crowds are likely to swell. |
| They can also apply for a new warrant and try to detain him again. | They can also apply for a new warrant and try to detain him again. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Police have opened a criminal case against the chief of Yoon's security service and his deputy, and summoned them for questioning, according to Yonhap. | Police have opened a criminal case against the chief of Yoon's security service and his deputy, and summoned them for questioning, according to Yonhap. |
| Yoon's legal team was also seen entering the residence slightly past noon local time. | Yoon's legal team was also seen entering the residence slightly past noon local time. |
| His lawyer Yoon Gab-keun earlier said they would take legal action over the arrest warrant, arguing that investigators lacked the authority to detain him. | His lawyer Yoon Gab-keun earlier said they would take legal action over the arrest warrant, arguing that investigators lacked the authority to detain him. |
| South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at an event in 2023 | South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at an event in 2023 |
| Meanwhile, Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, has criticised Yoon for not upholding his promise to take legal and political responsibility for his botched martial law attempt. | Meanwhile, Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, has criticised Yoon for not upholding his promise to take legal and political responsibility for his botched martial law attempt. |
| "[It was] a complete lie," Park said, urging the CIO to attempt to arrest Yoon again today. | "[It was] a complete lie," Park said, urging the CIO to attempt to arrest Yoon again today. |
| The CIO, which has only been operating for four years, was created in response to public anger over former president Park Geun-hye and her excesses. She was impeached by parliament in December 2016, and removed from office three months after. | The CIO, which has only been operating for four years, was created in response to public anger over former president Park Geun-hye and her excesses. She was impeached by parliament in December 2016, and removed from office three months after. |
| The extent of the CIO's jurisdiction, however, has been challenged by other agencies - and its failure to deal with Yoon could be seen as an embarrassing loss. | |
| Weeks of chaos | |
| South Korea has been in political chaos since the martial law attempt on 3 Dec, with wide rifts opening in parliament between Yoon loyalists and those seeking to unseat him. | |
| Days and nights of protest culminated in the opposition-dominated parliament voting to impeach Yoon on 14 December, their second attempt to do so after the majority of his ruling party members boycotted the first vote. | |
| Two weeks later, parliament voted to impeach his replacement, acting president Han Duck-soo - the first time an acting president had been impeached since South Korea became a democracy. | |
| Han was supposed to lead the country out of its political turmoil, but opposition MPs argued that he was refusing demands to complete Yoon's impeachment process. | |
| On Friday, prosecutors also indicted on insurrection charges army chief Park An-su, who was named martial law commander during the brief declaration, and special forces commander Kwak Jong-geun, according to Seoul-based news outlet Yonhap. | On Friday, prosecutors also indicted on insurrection charges army chief Park An-su, who was named martial law commander during the brief declaration, and special forces commander Kwak Jong-geun, according to Seoul-based news outlet Yonhap. |
| They are to face trial while in prison. | They are to face trial while in prison. |
| Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul | Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul |