South Korea’s Yoon faces second arrest attempt in fortified compound

SEOUL - South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a new and potentially more robust attempt to arrest him on insurrection charges after a top investigator vowed to do whatever it takes to break a security blockade and take in the impeached leader.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Jan 8 urged the authorities to “do their best to prevent any injuries to citizens or physical conflict between government agencies” while executing Mr Yoon’s arrest warrant.

Protesters both supporting and opposing the embattled Mr Yoon braved freezing temperatures to stage rallies on the streets around the presidential compound on Jan 8 after

a court re-issued a warrant to arrest Mr Yoon

a day earlier.

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) has been fortifying the compound this week with barbed wire and barricades using buses to block access to the hillside villa where Mr Yoon is believed to be, having defied summons to appear for questioning.

Mr Yoon is under criminal investigation for insurrection over his Dec 3 martial law bid that stunned South Korea and led to the first arrest warrant to be issued for a sitting president.

He is also involved in a separate Constitutional Court trial over his Dec 14 impeachment for violating his constitutional duties with the late-night martial law declaration.

On Jan 8, one of Mr Yoon’s lawyers said the President could not accept the execution of the arrest warrant because it was issued by a court in the wrong jurisdiction and that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) had no authority to investigate the incumbent leader.

Mr Yoon Kap-keun, the lawyer, also denied suggestions by some MPs that Mr Yoon had fled the official residence, saying he had met the President there on Jan 7. He called the suggesions “malicious” rumours intended to slander the President.

Mr Oh Dong-woon, head of the CIO which is leading the probe against President Yoon, on Jan 7 apologised for a failed arrest attempt on Jan 3 after a tense six-hour stand-off with hundreds of PSS agents and military guards inside the presidential compound.

“We’ll do our best to accomplish our goal by thoroughly preparing this time with great determination that the second warrant execution will be the last,” Mr Oh told a Parliament committee.

He declined to specify how many days the court had given before the new arrest warrant expires, citing a need to keep plans for the new attempt internal.

Mr Oh did not object when MPs called for tough action to overpower the presidential guards and military troops inside the compound, but he declined to confirm what options were being considered.

Various scenarios reported in local media include mobilising police special tactical unit forces and heavy equipment to push through the barricades, followed by more than 2,000 police to drag out presidential guards, taking as long as three days if necessary to wear down presidential security agents.

Myongji University’s Professor Shin Yul, who has followed the country’s political turmoil, said the police have a lot of experience in tactical operations that were likely being considered. But safety should be a top priority, especially because of protesters, he said, noting the risk of gunfire in a potential clash.

Although the police have a clear advantage in terms of resources such as helicopters to drop in tactical units, force should not be the only option considered, said Konkuk University’s Professor Lee Yung-hyeock, who specialises in law enforcement.

He cited “cognitive warfare” such as using loudspeakers to warn PSS agents they could face personal repercussions by obstructing justice that could mean the end of their careers and possible criminal records.

The CIO and police were outnumbered in the earlier arrest attempt by cordons of more than 200 PSS personnel, some of whom were carrying firearms, as well as troops seconded to presidential security, as the two sides engaged in altercations, a CIO official has said. REUTERS