South Korean law enforcement officers detain impeached President Yoon

South Korean law enforcement detained impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday for briefly imposing martial law last month. This detention marks a further escalation of political turmoil in South Korea, and also sparks profound discussions about the rule of law and the balance of power.

In a video message recorded before being taken to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon Suk-yeol lamented that "the rule of law in this country has completely collapsed," but stated that he was complying with the detention order to prevent clashes between law enforcement and the presidential security service. Subsequently, a series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, could be seen leaving the presidential residence under police escort.

A vehicle apparently carrying Yoon Suk-yeol subsequently arrived at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in nearby Gwacheon City. Yoon Suk-yeol's lawyers attempted to persuade investigators not to execute the detention order, claiming that the president would voluntarily appear for questioning, but the agency rejected the request. Reportedly, law enforcement officers did not appear to encounter effective resistance from the presidential security forces as they approached Yoon Suk-yeol's residence, and there were no immediate reports of clashes.

It is alleged that more than a thousand anti-corruption investigators and police officers may have been deployed in the operation to arrest Yoon Suk-yeol. Previously, Yoon Suk-yeol had been holed up in his Hannam-dong residence in Seoul for weeks, vowing to "fight to the end" against efforts to oust him. Yoon Suk-yeol argued that his declaration of martial law on December 3 was a legitimate act of governance against a "anti-state" opposition that was using its legislative majority to obstruct his agenda.

The anti-corruption agency is conducting a joint investigation with the police and military to determine whether Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law constituted an attempted insurrection, and sought to detain him after he ignored multiple summonses. They pledged to take more forceful measures to detain him after their initial efforts were blocked by the presidential security service on January 3. After a standoff lasting several hours outside the gates of the presidential residence, anti-corruption investigators and police could be seen moving up the sloping courtyard.

Earlier, police were seen using ladders to scale several rows of buses placed by the presidential security service near the entrance to the courtyard. Anti-corruption investigators and police later arrived at a metal gate with a gold presidential crest near Yoon Suk-yeol's residential building. Some officers were seen entering a security door on the side of the metal gate, meeting with one of Yoon Suk-yeol's lawyers and his chief of staff. The presidential security service later removed a bus and other vehicles parked inside the gate as barricades.

Despite the court issuing a detention order for Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential security service insisted on its obligation to protect the impeached president, and reinforced the defenses of the courtyard with barbed wire and rows of buses blocking the roads. If investigators manage to detain Yoon Suk-yeol, they may ask the court to allow a formal arrest. Otherwise, he will be released after 48 hours.

As tensions escalated, South Korea's acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho, issued a statement earlier on Wednesday urging law enforcement and the presidential security service to ensure that no "physical clashes" occur. The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which spearheaded the legislative campaign that led to Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment on December 14, issued a statement calling on the presidential security service to stand down and cooperate with Yoon Suk-yeol's detention. Lawmakers from Yoon Suk-yeol's People Power Party held rallies near the presidential residence, denouncing the efforts to detain him as illegal.

The National Police Agency has convened multiple field commander meetings in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province in recent days to plan their detention operation, the scale of which has fueled speculation that more than a thousand officers may be deployed for an operation that could last for days. The agency and police have publicly warned that presidential bodyguards who obstruct the execution of the arrest warrant could be arrested. Yoon Suk-yeol's lawyers claim that 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 unless consent is obtained from the person in charge – and that person is Yoon Suk-yeol. The detention order for Yoon Suk-yeol is valid until January 21.

Supporters and critics of Yoon Suk-yeol held opposing protests near the residence – one side vowing to protect him, the other calling for his imprisonment – while thousands of police officers in yellow jackets closely monitored the tense situation. Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on December 3 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 Suk-yeol's presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach him, accusing him of crimes of insurrection.

His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to formally remove Yoon Suk-yeol from office or dismiss the charges and reinstate him. The Constitutional Court held its first formal hearing on the case on Tuesday, but the session lasted less than five minutes due to Yoon Suk-yeol's refusal to attend. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, at which time the court will continue the trial, regardless of whether Yoon Suk-yeol attends.