By Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park
SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over riot allegations, with the embattled chief saying he agreed to adjust to what he referred to as an unlawful probe to keep away from “bloodshed”.
His arrest, the primary ever for an incumbent president, is the newest head-spinning growth for considered one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies regardless that the nation has a historical past of prosecuting and imprisoning former leaders.
Since lawmakers voted to face him down after his short-lived declaration of martial regulation on Dec. 3, Yoon has been holed up at his hillside residence, guarded by a small military of non-public safety that blocked a earlier arrest try.
A defiant Yoon mentioned he submitted himself for questioning to keep away from any violence after greater than 3,000 cops marched on his residence to arrest him from the early hours of Wednesday.
“I decided to respond to the CIO’s investigation – despite it being an illegal investigation – to prevent unsavoury bloodshed,” Yoon mentioned in an announcement, referring to the Corruption Investigation Workplace for Excessive-ranking Officers (CIO) heading the probe.
Yoon was later seen leaving his residence in a motorcade and arriving on the CIO workplaces. Authorities now have 48 hours to query Yoon after which they have to search a warrant to detain him for as much as 20 days or launch him.
Yoon’s legal professionals have mentioned the arrest warrant is prohibited as a result of it was issued by a courtroom within the unsuitable jurisdiction and the crew set as much as examine him had no authorized mandate to take action.
Yoon’s declaration of martial regulation shocked South Koreans, rattled Asia’s fourth largest financial system and ushered in an unprecedented interval of political turmoil in considered one of Washington’s key safety companions within the area. Lawmakers voted to question him and take away him from duties on Dec. 14.
Individually, the Constitutional Courtroom is deliberating whether or not to uphold that impeachment and completely take away him from workplace or restore his presidential powers.
YOON SUPPORTERS
The newest arrest try that started earlier than daybreak gripped the nation with lots of of 1000’s glued to dwell feeds displaying bus a great deal of police arriving close to the presidential residence, pushing previous Yoon supporters after which strolling in direction of the gates of the compound carrying ladders and wire cutters.
As native information broadcasters reported that Yoon’s detention was imminent, some minor scuffles broke out between pro-Yoon protesters and police close to the residence, in keeping with a Reuters witness on the scene.
Throngs of these protesters gathered earlier than daybreak in sub-zero temperatures, some wrapped in foil blankets and others waving flags bearing “Stop the Steal” slogans referring to Yoon’s unsubstantiated claims of election fraud – one of many causes he gave to justify his short-lived martial regulation declaration.
A few of Yoon’s supporters have drawn parallels together with his plight and that of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who additionally claimed voter fraud contributed to his election defeat in 2020 however recovered to make a surprising political comeback.
“It is very sad to see our country falling apart,” mentioned Kim Woo-sub, a 70-year-old retiree protesting Yoon’s arrest exterior his residence on Wednesday.
“I still have high expectations for Trump to support our president. Election fraud is something they have in common but also the U.S. needs South Korea to fight China,” he mentioned.
Regardless of polls displaying a majority of South Koreans disapprove of Yoon’s martial regulation declaration and help his impeachment, the political standoff has given oxygen to his supporters and his Folks Energy Celebration (PPP) has seen a revival in latest weeks.
Help for the PPP stood at 40.8% within the newest Realmeter ballot launched on Monday, whereas the principle opposition Democratic Celebration’s help stood at 42.2%, inside a margin of error and down from a spot of 10.8% from final week, the ballot mentioned.
