South Korean authorities on Wednesday arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges. The embattled leader stated that he agreed to cooperate with what he described as an illegal investigation to prevent bloodshed.
His arrest, which is the first ever for an incumbent president, is the latest head-spinning development for one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies even though the country has a history of prosecuting and imprisoning former leaders.
Yoon has been holed up at his hillside residence, guarded by a small army of personal security that blocked a previous arrest attempt since lawmakers voted to stand him down after his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3.
He said he decided to submit himself for questioning to avoid any violence after more than 3,000 police officers 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 said in a statement, referring to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, CIO, heading the probe.
The embattled president was later seen leaving his residence in a motorcade and arriving at the CIO offices.
According to his lawyers, the arrest warrant was illegal because it was issued by a court in the wrong jurisdiction and the team set up to investigate him had no legal mandate to do so.
It had been reported that Yoon’s declaration of martial law shocked South Koreans, rattled the country’s economy and ushered in an unprecedented period of political turmoil.
Recall that lawmakers voted to impeach him and remove him from duties on December 14.
