South Korea, here is how the navy and safety prevented Yoon from being arrested | EUROtoday

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NEW DELHI – The institutional disaster in South Korea took a brand new leap in high quality at the moment, Friday 4 January, when the federal government company investigating the failed self-coup of final December 3 had to surrender on arresting President Yoon Suk Yeol. When officers from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials confirmed up at Yoon’s official residence escorted by round 100 brokers, they discovered 200 troopers and presidential safety males ready for them and prevented them from approaching the constructing. After a standoff that lasted six hours – witnessed by 2,700 police and a thousand supporters of the president – investigators and safety forces withdrew, explaining that arresting Yoon in these situations would have been “practically impossible”.

The confrontation between investigators and demonstrators was not violent, however took on surprisingly subtle political connotations: supporters of Yoon, a conspiracy-minded and pro-American chief, waved stars and stripes flags and held indicators with the identical slogan (“Stop the steal ») used by Donald Trump supporters convinced that the 2020 American elections had been tainted by fraud.

The reasons for the attempted arrest

The agency investigating Yoon’s decision to impose martial law has called for the president’s arrest because – despite the impeachment voted by Parliament last December 14 – Yoon has for weeks refused to take part in the proceedings in which he is accused of treason and insurrection, crimes for which presidential immunity does not apply. Yoon has not left his residence since December 12, when he went to his offices to record a video message to the nation in which – far from taking note of the massive street protests calling for his immediate resignation – he announced that he would fight “till finish”.

During a meeting with journalists, the investigators explained that they had not even managed to get close to the residence, in front of which they found barriers and armed men. Three officials met with Yoon’s lawyers who told him that they considered the arrest warrant “unlawful and unconstitutional”. The defense’s argument is that, without Yoon’s consent, no authority can access a place, such as his residence, where military secrets could potentially be kept. According to Park Seong-bae, a criminal lawyer, the protection afforded the president by his bodyguards does not extend to arrest warrants issued by Korean courts. It is no coincidence that the authorities summoned the head of presidential security today on suspicion of having “illegally prevented the execution of an arrest warrant”.

The authorities also announced that they will “strongly request” interim President Choi Sang-mok to order the safety service to adjust to the arrest warrant. Choi, who till just a few days in the past held the positions of finance minister and vice prime minister, is the second chief to imagine the interim presidency after Yoon’s indictment. Before him, it was Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. His season was quick: after refusing to ratify the nomination of three of the judges who will decide Yoon, he was in flip impeached by an more and more fierce and impatient opposition.