South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol Makes History as First Sitting President Arrested

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol is arrested, becoming the first sitting president in the nation’s history to face such legal action, triggering political upheaval.

Yoon Suk Yeol has made history as the first sitting president of South Korea to be arrested, concluding a weeks-long standoff between investigators and his personal security team.

Yoon, who faced impeachment by parliament after his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law led the country into turmoil, is now under investigation on charges of insurrection.

Nonetheless, he remains technically the president since a constitutional court must rule on the validity of his impeachment.

In the freezing cold, investigators employed ladders and wire cutters to reach Yoon. Personnel from the Presidential Security Service (PSS) had set up barricades in an attempt to prevent his arrest.

The 64-year-old leader stated that he consented to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) in order to prevent any bloodshed.

In a three-minute video message, Yoon expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation against him, despite being opposed to it.

He has consistently argued that the warrant for his arrest is legally invalid.

Yoon stated that he observed authorities “breaching” his home’s security perimeter with fire equipment.

“I chose to present myself before the CIO, despite it being an illegal investigation, to avoid any unnecessary violence,” he stated.

Over 1,000 officers participated in the dawn operation on Wednesday, marking the second attempt to arrest him.

The CIO, currently investigating Yoon, had previously attempted to arrest him on January 3rd.

They secured the warrant after he repeatedly failed to respond to several requests for questioning.

Yoon’s People Power Party condemned his arrest as “illegal,” with floor leader Kweon Seong-dong characterizing Wednesday’s events as “regrettable.”

Conversely, Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the opposition Democratic Party, remarked that Yoon’s arrest demonstrated that “justice in South Korea is alive.”

He stated during a party meeting that, “this arrest marks the initial step in reestablishing constitutional order, democracy, and the rule of law.”

The country is currently under the leadership of Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, serving as acting president. He assumed this role after Han Duck-soo, the initial acting president, was impeached by the opposition-controlled parliament.

After being questioned on Wednesday, Yoon is likely to be held at the Seoul Detention Centre in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, which is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from the CIO’s office.

If a court fails to issue a detention warrant within 48 hours of Yoon’s arrest, he will be released and allowed to return to the presidential residence.

The arrest of a sitting president is indeed significant for South Korean politics, but the nation’s political crisis is far from resolved. This event marks just another phase in an ongoing political drama.

The gathering of people outside Yoon’s house on Wednesday morning highlighted the significant divisions within the country.

The crowd opposing Yoon erupted in cheers and applause, blasting a “congratulations and celebrations” song when news of his arrest was announced.

The ambiance is entirely different on the other side.

A supporter of Yoon expressed their frustration to the BBC, saying, “We are extremely upset and angry; the rule of law has collapsed.”

The standoff also saw a clash between two branches of executive power: law enforcement officers with a legal arrest warrant and the presidential security staff, who claimed they were obligated to protect the suspended president.

Before he declared martial law, Yoon had already become a lame duck leader due to the opposition party holding the majority in parliament.

He has also been embroiled in controversy due to his wife receiving a Dior bag as a gift.

BBC