Law enforcers clash with military at South Korean President Yoon’s residence

Law enforcers were blocked by the military upon the execution of their order to detain impeached President Yoon, Yonhap reported

South Korean law enforcers arrived at the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to detain him on charges of insurrection, but were locked in a standoff with a military unit inside the presidential premises, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

“Investigators from the state anti-corruption agency entered the presidential residence Friday to execute a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed bid to impose martial law last month,” the agency stated.

However, law enforcers were blocked by the military upon the execution of their order to detain impeached President Yoon.

“The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said in a notice to the press that it had begun executing the warrant, but the police official said investigators were blocked from entering the residence building by a military unit presumed to belong to the Capital Defence Command,” the agency noted.

According to previous Yonhap reports: “The team executing the warrant comprises 30 people from the CIO and 120 police personnel, of which 70 are waiting outside the residence compound.

“The news agency also cited Yun Gap-geun, a lawyer on the CIO team that a ‘legal action’ would be filed against the CIO’s attempt.”The execution of a warrant that is illegal and invalid is not lawful,” the South Korean agency quoted him as saying.

“As procedures for objections to the warrant are under way at the Constitutional Court and the court, [we] will take legal action over the unlawful situation of the illegal warrant execution.

“Meanwhile, “thousands of supporters have gathered near the residence in recent days to oppose Yoon’s impeachment and block his arrest. Some have been forcibly dispersed by the police and carried away by their limbs,” the news agency added.

The Corruption Investigation Office is looking into the circumstances of the announcement of martial law by the president who has been accused of insurrection following the move.

A CIO team filed for a detention warrant on December 30, a day after Yoon Suk Yeol failed to report for questioning for a third straight time.

South Korean law allows prosecuting a sitting president in cases of treason or insurrection. The president’s defense lawyer insisted the agency has no authority to investigate an insurrection case.