January 9, 2025
SEOUL – Authorities are under growing pressure to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning, following their aborted attempt on Friday and the subsequent receipt of an extended warrant.
On Tuesday, the court granted an extension of its warrant to arrest Yoon, giving the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the police — key agencies in the joint probe team — additional time to strategize when and how to make their second attempt.
Oh Dong-woon, the chief prosecutor of the CIO, told the lawmakers on the same day that the agency and the police were determined to detain the suspended president under the premise that their next attempt is “the last one.”
However, despite their renewed resolve, the circumstances surrounding their task have changed. The authorities are now confronted with an effort by Yoon’s attorneys to challenge the validity of the arrest warrant. On Wednesday, Yoon’s lawyer, Yun Gap-geun, argued that the president cannot comply with an “invalid arrest warrant.”
Yun called on the CIO to either seek a warrant that requires a court hearing — the existing type can be issued by a court without one — or for the prosecution to indict the president. Both of these demands are widely seen as tactics to delay the process. The prosecution has the sole authority to indict a suspect.
The legal team also said that the CIO’s jurisdiction lies with the Seoul Central District Court, not the Seoul Western District Court that issued the warrant, and that any request made there would be unacceptable.
Aside from Yoon’s defense, the circumstances surrounding authorities attempt to detain Yoon have significantly changed since Friday. Below is a list of the key developments.
Deadline extended
Although the exact length of the warrant extension remains unknown, it is believed to exceed the customary seven-day period.
The CIO’s chief prosecutor told reporters before the warrant was set to expire on Monday that the agency would request an extension of seven days or longer, indicating that the warrant would be valid for longer than it was before.
Oh also said that the deadline for the extended warrant would remain confidential this time to increase the chances of successfully executing it.
“The investigative authorities might execute the warrant when the Presidential Security Service and the protestors lower their guard,” Lee Dong-hyun, a prosecutor-turned-lawyer told The Korea Herald
In Lee’s view, the CIO believes it cannot overpower the Presidential Security Service personnel by force so might instead look for a strategic loophole, while the police apply pressure on the PSS by seeking obstruction of official duties charges.
Presidential residence-turned-fortress
Despite the authorities’ pledge to make thorough preparations to detain Yoon this time, physically executing the plan appears increasingly challenging. The presidential residence has effectively been turned into a fortress, by PSS personnel erecting barricades and installing barbed wire.
The PSS used a single bus and a human barricade of approximately 200 combined PSS and military personnel to fend off attempts to detain Yoon Friday. It has strengthened its defenses since then, by adding six more buses to block the road leading from the gate to the presidential compound.
Rows of barbed wire fencing have also been installed near Yoon’s residence to block investigators and police, while the iron gate atop the hill leading to the presidential residence has been reinforced with multiple steel chains, further fortifying the perimeter.
Park Jong-joon, the PSS chief, defied the police’s Jan. 4 summons for questioning over the PSS’ obstruction of official duties by blocking authorities from carrying out the warrant and arresting Yoon.
Park claimed in a video statement Monday that he was prioritizing the safety of the president and that he could not abandon his duty due to legal controversies and irregularities concerning the arrest warrant.
Park and PSS Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon have also refused to comply with two summonses — on Saturday and Tuesday, and on Saturday and Wednesday, respectively.
Rallies grow bigger
Meanwhile, the fierce, all-night rallies near the presidential compound are growing larger, presenting a significant challenge for authorities. They must ensure the safety of demonstrators while attempting to execute the warrant.
The tension between the president’s supporters and detractors escalated when the warrant was re-issued Tuesday, garnering more protestors from both sides.
While almost 3,000 members of the New Freedom Union — a conservative, pro-Yoon organization — participated in a rally, chanting “invalid impeachment” and “protect Yoon Suk Yeol,” a total of 6,000 anti-Yoon protestors, including the members of Candle Act, were set to raise their voices on Wednesday.
Yoon’s supporters continued their rallies past the midnight after the court extended the warrant on Tuesday.
The police previously deployed some 2,700 personnel to the rally site to prevent possible clashes as authorities attempted to take Yoon into custody on Jan. 3.
Yoon’s whereabouts
Questions are growing about President Yoon’s whereabouts, with some expressing doubts aboutwhether he is actually in the presidential compound in Hannam-dong..
Rep. Park Beom-kye of the Democratic Party of Korea raised the issue Tuesday during a parliamentary hearing, asking whether the suspended president was in his residence.
The lawmaker suggested that Yoon could be elsewhere, possibly at the residence of the Defense Minister, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or the Army Chief of Staff.
Rep. Ahn Gyu-back of the Democratic Party also disclosed that he had received reports from an anonymous PSS official, claiming the president had left his residence, which he shared during a local radio show on Wednesday morning.
However, the Presidential Office has denied these claims, with a report from the Hankyoreh newspaper stating that the president is still in the presidential compound.
Yoon’s lawyer Yun told the reporters on Wednesday that he met the president yesterday at the presidential residence.
Other options: Target PSS chief, Special Operations Unit, helicopters
After the court granted a second arrest warrant for Yoon on Tuesday, the police are considering arresting the leadership of the Presidential Security Service first.
The previous attempt at detaining Yoon failed due to PSS blocking entry. Police are particularly focused on arresting Park Jong-joon, head of the PSS. Despite expressing intentions to arrest Park during the first attempt, the plan was scrapped after the CIO opposed it.
The police may seek arrest warrants for PSS leaders before pursuing Yoon. On Tuesday, they issued a third summons for Park to appear by Friday, after two previous refusals citing a lack of legal representation. If Park does not comply, authorities may seek an arrest warrant.
Following the failed attempt to arrest Yoon, which resulted in a five-hour standoff, police are now strategizing to secure access to his residence by deploying maximum personnel and equipment when executing the second warrant.
Speculation that deploying helicopters above Yoon’s residence to rapidly get personnel into the building to arrest Yoon, as well as deploying the police’s Special Operation Unit are also being brought up as possible options the police are reportedly considering. The possibility of using specialized police vehicles or armored trucks to break through barricades currently set up around the residence has also been mentioned.