As the arrest warrant for ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol expired on Monday, the country’s anti-corruption agency has asked police to arrest the embattled leader, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The High Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau reportedly made the request to the police on Sunday.
“The CIO sent us an official letter asking for our cooperation without prior consultation,” a police official told the South Korean publication. “We are conducting an internal legal review.”
The request comes after investigators on Friday abandoned an hour-long effort to arrest Yoon at his residence.
Supporters of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold a rally against a court’s arrest warrant as police officers stand guard near the presidential palace in Seoul, January 3, 2025.
Lee Jin-Man/AP
Police vehicles and supporters of the ousted president were seen outside his home in the South Korean capital over the weekend. In the photos, the protesters were shown lying in front of the police, trying to block the authorities from the headquarters.
ABC News confirmed that anti-corruption authorities broke into the front door of Yoon’s property, leading to a standoff between his security team and police investigators. 3,000 police were on the scene.
However, the researchers finally called off the effort five hours after their arrival.
Yoon Suk Yeol supporters gather outside the official residence of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on January 2, 2025 in Seoul.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
“Since it would be almost impossible to carry out the arrest warrant due to the ongoing confrontation, we suspended the execution out of concern for the safety of the workers affected by the resistance,” the High-Level Officials Corruption Investigation Bureau said. statement, quoted by Yonhap news agency.
“After a review we intend to decide on the next steps,” said the CIO. “We express our deep regret for the behavior of the suspect who refused to comply with the legal procedures,” he added.
The effort to arrest Yoon came after a South Korean court issued an arrest and search warrant on Dec. 31 for his short-lived martial law, ABC News confirmed. Yoon has been suspended from his post since December 14.
Supporters of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol take part in a rally near his residence in snowy Seoul on January 5, 2025.
Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images
Yoon declared martial law in a televised speech on December 3. The president said the measure was necessary because of the actions of the country’s liberal opposition, the Democratic Party, which has been accused of controlling parliament, sympathizing with North Korea and stalling the government.
Under the South Korean Constitution, if a sitting president is accused of rebellion, the police have the power to arrest him while he is still in office.
A joint investigation team sought the warrant on charges of sedition and abuse of power after Yoon said he failed three calls to appear for questioning.
The court’s decision to grant the order is a first for a president in the country’s history.
ABC News’ Joohee Cho and Will Gretsky contributed to this report.
