To apprehend the impeached president of South Korea, investigators scale barricades
Yoon Suk Yeol Becomes First Sitting South Korean President Arrested Amid Insurrection Probe
In a historic turn of events, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has become the nation’s first sitting leader to be arrested. His dramatic detention followed an intense operation where investigators overcame barricades and cut through barbed wire to take him into custody.
The 64-year-old president is under investigation for alleged insurrection tied to a failed martial law order issued on December 3, which plunged the country into political chaos.
Parliament has already impeached Yoon, suspending him from office, though his official removal awaits a ruling from the Constitutional Court.
Wednesday’s arrest marks the end of a tense standoff that had stretched for weeks between investigators and Yoon’s presidential security team. An earlier attempt to detain him on January 3 failed after a six-hour standoff with his guards.
However, in the early hours of Wednesday, a force of around 1,000 investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) launched a coordinated raid on Yoon’s residence in central Seoul. Equipped with ladders to scale buses blocking the entrance and bolt cutters to breach barbed wire, some officers also climbed walls and navigated nearby trails to reach the heavily fortified compound.
Authorities confirmed Yoon’s arrest after several hours.
Shortly before being detained, Yoon released a three-minute video stating his willingness to cooperate with investigators while insisting the arrest warrant was legally invalid. He accused authorities of “invading” his home with fire equipment and claimed his decision to surrender was to “prevent any unsavoury bloodshed.”
Despite cooperating, Yoon reportedly remained silent during questioning. His legal team condemned the arrest as “illegal,” arguing that the CIO lacks the authority to investigate insurrection charges and that the warrant was issued by the wrong jurisdiction.
However, both the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice have defended the legality of the warrant.
Opposition Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae hailed the arrest as a victory for the rule of law. “Justice in South Korea is alive,” he declared, calling the move “the first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy, and the rule of law.”
In the wake of Yoon’s suspension, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has assumed the role of acting president. He stepped in after the previous acting president, Han Duck-soo, was also impeached by the opposition-controlled parliament.
