News
South Korea's impeached President Yoon arrested after 3,000 police officers deployed to his residence
Minor scuffles were reported, but an official said there were "practically no physical clashes", unlike during the first arrest attempt.
January 15, 2025, 02:24 PM
South Korea's President, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been detained for his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, making it the first time a sitting president has been arrested in the country.
According to Korean media Yonhap News Agency, the second attempt to arrest him took place on the morning of Jan. 15, 2025 at his residence, following an abortive attempt earlier this month.
Yoon was then taken to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) for questioning.
Following his questioning, he is expected to be held at the Seoul Detention Centre in Uiwang.
Yoon has remained defiant, however.
Following his arrest, he reportedly released a recorded video message where he said:
"Although it is an illegal investigation, I decided to agree to appear at the CIO in order to prevent ugly bloodshed."
3,000 police deployed to his residence
A previous attempt to arrest Yoon was made on Jan. 3, 2025.
However, it was called off following a five-hour impasse between investigators and Yoon's supporters and guards.
A total of 3,000 police personnel were deployed to Yoon's compound during the second attempt.
They pushed through Yoon's supporters and members of his People Power Party who were protesting the attempts to detain him, CNA reported.
Minor scuffles were also reported.
A CIO officer noted that this time, there were no "personnel" or "Presidential Security Service (PSS)" staff actively resisting the implementation of Yoon's arrest, Yonhap News Agency further reported.
Compared to the first arrest attempt, "there were practically no physical clashes today," he was quoted as saying.
Background
In the late hours of Dec. 3, 2024, Yoon declared an "emergency martial law" in a surprise televised briefing.
The martial law was in effect for approximately six hours, before Yoon lifted the law in the early hours of Dec. 4, following the National Assembly's unanimous vote.
Yoon was later impeached on Dec. 14, with 204 of the National Assembly's lawmakers voting in favour of his impeachment.
He later refused three times to appear for questioning for the investigation over his botched martial law order.
Top image via @sukyeol.yoon/Instagram
