Arrested South Korean President Yoon Faces Investigation in Insurrection Case
Arrested South Korean President Yoon Faces Investigation in Insurrection Case
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was taken into custody and interrogated for several hours by investigators on Wednesday as part of a criminal insurrection investigation, concluding a weeks-long standoff with law enforcement.
His arrest marks the first occasion in South Korea’s history that a sitting president has been apprehended, representing a significant turn of events for one of Asia’s most dynamic democracies, despite the nation’s past of prosecuting and incarcerating former leaders. Following lawmakers’ decision to impeach him and remove his responsibilities after his brief declaration of martial law on December 3, Yoon had been secluded in his hillside residence, protected by a substantial team of presidential security personnel who thwarted a previous attempt to arrest him earlier this month.
On Wednesday, he presented himself for questioning at the offices involved in the corruption investigation following a sudden deployment of over 3,000 police officers who attempted to arrest him at his home before sunrise. “I chose to engage with the CIO’s investigation – even though I believe it to be unlawful – to avoid any unfortunate violence,” Yoon stated, referencing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) leading the criminal probe.
A prosecutor drove with Yoon from his residence in the affluent area often called Seoul’s Beverly Hills to the stark CIO offices, where he entered through a rear entrance to evade the press. While Yoon was being questioned, an unidentified man in his sixties set himself ablaze in the vicinity, according to fire services. The man suffered severe burns and was left unconscious. Authorities have a 48-hour window to interrogate Yoon, after which they must either obtain a warrant to hold him for up to 20 days or let him go.
Nevertheless, according to a CIO official, Yoon is declining to communicate and has not concurred with having his interviews with investigators documented on video. The CIO stated it lacked information regarding Yoon’s reasons for refusing to speak. The presidential motorcade was observed departing from the CIO offices late Wednesday night. Yoon was anticipated to be detained at Seoul Detention Centre, where other notable individuals, including former President Park Geun-hye and Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee, have previously been held. Yoon’s legal representatives have asserted that the arrest warrant is unlawful because a court issued it outside the appropriate jurisdiction, and the investigative team appointed to look into him lacked the legal authority to do so. A warrant authorizing the search of Yoon’s home, a copy of which was viewed by Reuters, described him as the “ringleader of insurrection.”
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SERIOUS INTEREST
Yoon’s sudden announcement of martial law stunned South Koreans. It unsettled the region’s fourth-largest economy, leading to an extraordinary phase of political unrest in a crucial ally of the United States in Asia. Lawmakers moved to impeach Yoon on December 14.
In addition to the criminal investigation, the Constitutional Court is considering whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment by the legislature, which could permanently remove him from office or restore his presidential authority.
A representative for the White House National Security Council mentioned in a statement that the U.S. remains dedicated to collaborating with Seoul and values its attempts “to operate in accordance with the Constitution. “
During a daily news briefing, the chief government spokesperson in neighbouring Japan remarked that Tokyo was closely monitoring the situation in South Korea “with particular and serious interest.”On Wednesday, an attempted arrest had hundreds of thousands of viewers glued to live TV coverage showing police arriving by the busload near the presidential residence, pushing past supporters of Yoon and advancing toward the gates of the compound with ladders and wire cutters in hand.
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As local news stations reported that Yoon’s arrest was about to happen, some minor clashes occurred between pro-Yoon demonstrators and law enforcement near the residence.
Large groups of protesters, who also assembled outside the CIO offices, waved both South Korean and American flags and carried signs with “Stop the Steal” messages, referring to Yoon’s unverified allegations of electoral fraud – one of the justifications he offered for his declaration of martial law.
CALLED FOOLISH
In a handwritten message shared on his Facebook page, Yoon mentioned that he is often labelled foolish for refusing to compromise. He stated that there is overwhelming evidence of election fraud that cannot simply be dismissed as a conspiracy theory while also recognizing that “there is insufficient evidence to accuse a specific individual for it.” The National Election Commission, one of the entities targeted by the troops Yoon deployed after announcing martial law, has rejected claims of fraud, asserting that the election system is transparent and well-monitored. Some of Yoon’s backers have drawn similarities between his situation and that of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who asserted that voter fraud played a role in his loss in 2020.
“It’s very disheartening to witness our nation unravelling,” expressed Kim Woo-sub, a 70-year-old retiree demonstrating against Yoon’s arrest outside his home on Wednesday. “I still have high hopes that Trump will back our president. Election fraud is a commonality they share, but the U.S. also needs South Korea to counter China,” he remarked. Despite surveys indicating that most South Koreans oppose Yoon’s declaration of martial law and favour his impeachment, the political deadlock has invigorated his supporters, leading to a resurgence of the People Power Party (PPP) in recent weeks.
The latest Realmeter poll revealed that support for the PPP reached 40.8% on Monday, while the main opposition Democratic Party stood at 42.2%, narrowing from a previous gap of 10.8% the week before. Reporting by Hyunsu Yim, Joyce Lee, Ju-min Park, Hyonhee Shin, and Cynthia Kim in Seoul; Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; and Kaori Kaneko in Tokyo; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Michael Perry, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Mark Heinrich, and Hugh Lawson.
Source: reuters
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