South Korea’s Yoon Faces Arrest by Deadline, Says Anti-Graft Chief

Photo: Instagram/@sukyeol.yoon

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was recently impeached, is expected to be arrested before a legal deadline expires next week. This announcement was made by Oh Dong-woon, the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, during a press briefing on Wednesday. Oh stated that the arrest warrant for Yoon will be carried out “within the valid period,” which ends on Monday.

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Oh emphasized that the authorities are working to ensure the process goes smoothly without any major issues. However, he also said that preparations are being made to involve police and additional personnel if necessary. He warned that anyone attempting to stop the arrest could face prosecution. Actions such as setting up barricades or locking gates to resist the warrant would be seen as obstruction of official duties, he explained.

Speculation about Yoon’s arrest has been widespread ever since the Joint Investigation Headquarters sought a warrant for his detention. A court in Seoul approved this warrant on Tuesday. In the past, Yoon’s security team prevented investigators from executing several search warrants at the presidential office, and it is believed that authorities are now working on a strategy to handle his security detail during the arrest.

If the arrest happens, Yoon will become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be taken into custody. He faces serious charges of abuse of power and insurrection. These charges stem from his brief declaration of martial law on December 3, which triggered South Korea’s biggest political crisis in decades. The crime of insurrection carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

Yoon’s legal team has called the warrant “illegal and invalid,” arguing that investigators do not have the authority to probe a sitting president for insurrection. Yoon, who was once South Korea’s top prosecutor, has been suspended from his presidential duties since December 14. His suspension followed a vote in the National Assembly, where 204 out of 289 members supported his impeachment.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has been acting as the country’s interim leader since Friday. This came after the legislature impeached Yoon’s initial successor, Han Duck-soo, for delaying the appointment of three Constitutional Court justices.

The Constitutional Court is now deciding whether to uphold or reinstate Yoon’s impeachment. This process could take up to six months. In the meantime, Choi has approved the appointment of two justices chosen by parliament, leaving one position still unfilled. At least six out of the nine court justices must agree to remove Yoon from office permanently.

Yoon has defended his actions, claiming that the martial law declaration was necessary to deal with what he described as “anti-state forces” and opposition obstructionism. However, his brief imposition of martial law has left the country deeply divided and raised significant legal and political questions.