South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained on Wednesday morning at his residence following a significant law enforcement operation. The arrest comes after weeks of defiance and legal wrangling surrounding allegations of rebellion linked to his declaration of martial law.
In a recorded video message before being escorted to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, Yoon lamented, “The rule of law has completely collapsed in this country.”
Despite his lawyers' last-ditch efforts to negotiate voluntary questioning, the anti-corruption agency proceeded with executing the warrant.
Yoon was taken into custody approximately three hours after a sizeable force of law enforcement officers entered his compound, marking their second attempt after a thwarted operation on 3 January.
Amid tight police security, a convoy of black SUVs, some with sirens, was seen leaving the Hannam-Dong presidential residence.
The vehicle believed to be carrying Yoon arrived shortly after at the anti-corruption agency's headquarters in Gwacheon.
Weeks of resistance
Yoon, whose presidential powers were suspended following his impeachment by the National Assembly on 14 December, had been entrenched in his residence.
He justified his 3 December declaration of martial law as a "legitimate act of governance" against what he termed an "anti-state" opposition seeking to sabotage his agenda.
His impeachment followed the brief enforcement of martial law, which deployed troops around the National Assembly but was nullified hours later as lawmakers convened to lift the measure.
The anti-corruption agency, in collaboration with police and military investigators, is probing whether Yoon’s actions constituted an attempted rebellion.
A dramatic showdown
Wednesday's arrest unfolded dramatically, with law enforcement scaling barricades and facing off against Yoon’s presidential security service, which had fortified the compound with buses and barbed wire.
Anti-corruption investigators, accompanied by police officers, eventually accessed the residence through a security door.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Choi Sang-mok, who is serving as acting leader, issued a statement urging all parties to prevent physical confrontations.
However, tensions remained high as security forces warned that obstructing the detention warrant’s execution could result in arrests of presidential bodyguards.
Polarisation among the masses
The operation has polarised public opinion. The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which spearheaded Yoon's impeachment, urged the presidential security service to cooperate.
Meanwhile, lawmakers from Yoon’s People Power Party staged a rally denouncing the arrest as unlawful.
Yoon’s legal team has contested the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court, arguing that it contravenes laws protecting locations tied to military secrets from search without consent. Nevertheless, the warrant remains valid until 21 January.
Protests have erupted in Seoul, with Yoon’s supporters and detractors holding competing rallies near his residence. Thousands of police in yellow jackets monitored the crowds to prevent clashes.
Yoon’s impeachment trial is underway at the Constitutional Court, which must decide whether to remove him from office or reinstate him.
The court's initial hearing on Tuesday was cut short as Yoon refused to appear, but proceedings will continue on Thursday regardless of his attendance.
The outcome of the case, along with Yoon’s detention, has plunged South Korea into a political crisis, with its citizens and leaders grappling with the implications of these historic events.
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