South Korea investigators seek new warrant to arrest President Yoon

by Claire LEE

South Korean anti-graft investigators secured a new court-ordered arrest warrant Tuesday for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose failed martial law bid threw the country into turmoil.

The former star prosecutor has refused questioning three times after his bungled December 3 martial law decree plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

As anti-graft officials and police got their fresh warrant from the same court that issued the first order, Yoon remained holed up in his residence surrounded by hundreds of guards preventing his detention.

"The arrest warrant re-requested for the suspect Yoon was issued today in the afternoon," the Joint Investigation Headquarters said in a statement.

Seoul Western District Court declined to confirm when contacted by AFP.

The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is leading the probe into the president, has kept secret the length of the warrant it requested after the initial seven-day one expired.

If investigators are able to detain Yoon, he would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

But they would only have 48 hours to either request another arrest warrant, in order to keep him in detention, or be forced to release him.

The anti-graft officials have sought more time and help because of the difficulties they have faced, including being met by hundreds of security forces when they entered Yoon's presidential residence on Friday.

Yoon is being investigated on charges of insurrection and, if formally arrested and convicted, faces prison or, at worst, the death penalty.

His lawyers repeatedly said the initial warrant was "unlawful", pledging to take further legal action against it.

They have argued the CIO lacks the authority to investigate because insurrection is not included in the list of offences it can probe.

The vibrant East Asian democracy has found itself in uncharted territory regardless of the outcome of Yoon's case -- its sitting president will have been arrested, or he would have evaded court-ordered detention.

- 'Fortress' -

CIO chief Oh Dong-woon apologized on Tuesday for the failed first arrest attempt, saying he was "heartbroken".

"I must express my sincere apologies to the public for the failure to execute the arrest warrant due to the security measures taken by the Presidential Security Service," he told lawmakers at the National Assembly.

Yoon's presidential guards refused to budge during a six-hour standoff at his residence on Friday.

The CIO was set up less than four years ago and has fewer than 100 staff, who are yet to prosecute a single case.

"Naturally, they have no prior experience with arrests, let alone something as significant as arresting the president," said Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, who is not involved in the investigation.

South Korea's opposition Democratic Party told AFP on Monday it had submitted a legal complaint against acting president Choi Sang-mok for "dereliction of duty" after he failed to intervene as they requested.

South Korea's Constitutional Court has slated January 14 for the start of Yoon's impeachment trial, which would proceed in his absence if he does not attend.

Local media reported that he was likely to appear on the opening day, but Yoon's lawyer told AFP his appearance was still "undecided".

Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye never appeared for their impeachment trials in 2004 and 2016-2017 respectively.

The court has up to 180 days to determine whether to dismiss Yoon or restore him as president.

Opposition party lawmaker Youn Kun-young told local media Yoon's residence was "turning into a fortress", claiming guards were installing barbed wire and vehicle barricades.

Many supporters have also camped outside his residence despite freezing weather.

While officials have been unable to get to Yoon, the joint investigation team has gone after top military officials behind the martial law plan.

© Agence France-Presse