South Korean president defies arrest in standoff with officials over martial law order
South Korean authorities moved Friday to execute an unprecedented arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched attempt to declare martial law last month.
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean authorities tried and failed Friday to carry out an unprecedented arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched attempt to declare martial law in a dramatic standoff at the presidential residence where Yoon has been staying since he was impeached last month.
Investigators and police officers began leaving Yoon’s official residence in central Seoul around 1:30 p.m. local time (11:30 p.m. Thursday ET), more than five hours after they first passed through the steel gates.
They said they had suspended the execution of the arrest warrant for the day “because we have concluded that it is impossible to execute it today,” citing safety concerns as they were blocked by Yoon’s presidential security detail.
“It is to our extreme regret that the suspect did not respond to the legal proceedings,” a joint team of investigators said in a statement.
The warrant, which a court issued on Tuesday, does not expire until Monday and officials could try to execute it again before then.
Rating: 5