South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested late Tuesday for questioning, marking an unprecedented moment in the nation's history as a sitting president is taken into custody.
The arrest, carried out by the country's anti-corruption agency, follows weeks of political turmoil sparked by Yoon's controversial martial law decree last month.
Yoon was escorted from his fortified residence Wednesday morning in a motorcade surrounded by investigators, ending a tense standoff that had lasted weeks. The embattled leader faces multiple investigations tied to his brief martial law declaration, including allegations of leading an insurrection, a charge that carries penalties of life imprisonment or even the death sentence.
For weeks, Yoon had remained in his heavily guarded compound under the protection of the Presidential Security Service, evading earlier arrest attempts. Earlier this month, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), in coordination with police and the defense ministry, launched a failed operation to detain him. That effort devolved into a dramatic standoff, with soldiers and security personnel blocking around 80 officers and investigators from breaching the compound.
Following his arrest, Yoon released a pre-recorded video statement, labeling the investigations "illegal" and accusing the country's legal system of being fundamentally compromised. "The law is all broken in this country," Yoon declared.
"As a president who must protect the constitution and legal system of the Republic of Korea, responding to these illegal and invalid procedures is not an acknowledgment of them, but in the hopes of preventing unsavory bloodshed," he said.
The warrant permits investigators to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol for up to 48 hours. Within this time frame, the CIO must apply for an arrest warrant if they seek to extend his detention for further questioning.
Supporters and opponents of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gathered outside his compound amid frigid, sub-zero temperatures. Videos from Reuters and CNN affiliate YTN captured demonstrators arriving in buses and rallying in the streets surrounding the residence.
Opponents chanted slogans such as "resign," "your time is up," and "take responsibility," while Yoon's supporters countered with cries of "invalid impeachment," "free ROK, hurrah!" and "we won!"
Uniformed police were present, flanking the crowds, as both police and protester buses formed barricades outside the compound. One bus displayed a sign in Korean that read "Insurrection Department – Yoon Suk Yeol," a phrase frequently used in anti-Yoon demonstrations since his controversial martial law declaration last month.
The detention follows a court-approved warrant issued after Yoon, a former prosecutor, ignored three investigative summonses from the CIO in recent weeks, refusing to cooperate with their inquiries.
In a shocking late-night address on Dec. 3, Yoon declared martial law, citing claims that opposition lawmakers had "paralyzed state affairs." He justified the drastic move as necessary to "safeguard a liberal South Korea" from threats posed by what he described as "anti-state elements."
However, the declaration was swiftly overturned by the National Assembly, including members of Yoon's own party, in a vote just six hours later. The president's order triggered widespread condemnation from the public and lawmakers across political lines, rekindling painful memories of South Korea's authoritarian history.
