South Korean law enforcement officers detain impeached President Yoon

South Korean law enforcement detained impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday for his brief imposition of martial law last month. In a video recorded before being taken to the anti-corruption agency headquarters, Yoon lamented that “the rule of law in this country has completely collapsed,” but stated he was complying with the detention order to prevent clashes between law enforcement and presidential security.

A convoy of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, could be seen leaving the presidential compound under police escort. A vehicle apparently carrying Yoon then arrived at the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigation Office in nearby Gwacheon. Yoon’s lawyers tried to persuade investigators not to carry out the detention order, saying the president would appear for questioning voluntarily, but the agency refused.

Presidential security forces appeared to offer no meaningful resistance as law enforcement approached Yoon's residence, and there were no immediate reports of clashes. More than a thousand anti-corruption investigators and police may have been deployed to arrest Yoon. Yoon had been holed up in his Hannam-dong residence in Seoul for weeks, vowing to “fight to the end” against efforts to remove him from office.

Yoon defended his December 3rd declaration of martial law as a legitimate act of governance against an “anti-state” opposition that was using its legislative majority to obstruct his agenda. The anti-corruption agency is conducting a joint investigation with police and the military to determine whether Yoon’s martial law declaration constituted an attempted rebellion and sought to detain him after he ignored multiple summons for questioning. They vowed to take stronger measures to detain him after his presidential security detail blocked their initial attempt on January 3rd.

After a hours-long standoff at the gates of the presidential compound, anti-corruption investigators and police could be seen moving towards the hilltop presidential residence. Earlier, police could be seen using ladders to climb over several rows of buses that presidential security had placed near the entrance to the compound. Anti-corruption investigators and police later arrived at a metal gate with a gold presidential emblem near Yoon's residence building. Some officers were seen entering a security gate to the side of the metal gate, joined by one of Yoon’s lawyers and his chief of staff. Presidential security later moved a bus and other vehicles that were parked inside the gate as a barricade.

Despite the court-issued detention order for Yoon, the presidential security detail insisted it was obligated to protect the impeached president and fortified the presidential compound with razor wire and several rows of buses blocking roads. If investigators succeed in detaining Yoon, they may ask the court for permission to formally arrest him. Otherwise, he would be released after 48 hours.

As tensions escalated, South Korea’s acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choe Sang-mok, issued a statement earlier Wednesday urging law enforcement and presidential security to ensure there was no “physical confrontation.” The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led the legislative campaign that resulted in Yoon’s impeachment on December 14th, released a statement calling for presidential security to stand down and cooperate with Yoon’s detention. Lawmakers from Yoon’s People Power Party held a rally near the presidential compound, denouncing his detention as illegal.

The National Police Agency has held several field commander meetings in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province in recent days to plan their detention operation, with the size of the force fueling speculation that more than a thousand officers may be deployed in what could be a multi-day operation. The agency and police have publicly warned that presidential bodyguards who obstruct the execution of the arrest warrant could be arrested. Yoon’s lawyers have claimed the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court is invalid. They cited a law that protects locations that may be related to military secrets from searches without the consent of the person in charge, which is Yoon. The detention warrant for Yoon is valid until January 21st.

Supporters and critics of Yoon held dueling protests near the presidential compound — one side vowing to protect him and the other calling for his imprisonment — while thousands of police in yellow jackets closely monitored the tense situation. Yoon had declared martial law on December 3rd and deployed troops around the National Assembly. The martial law lasted only a few hours before lawmakers managed to break through the blockade and vote to rescind the measure. Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated parliament voted to impeach him, accusing him of rebellion.

His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to formally remove Yoon from office or reject the charges and reinstate him. The Constitutional Court held its first formal hearing on the case Tuesday, but the session lasted less than five minutes as Yoon refused to attend. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, when the court will continue to deliberate on the case regardless of whether Yoon attends.