South Korea investigators get new warrant to arrest President Yoon

South Korea investigators get new warrant to arrest President Yoon

The residence (top) of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen in Seoul before an arrest warrant deadline passed

South Korean anti-graft investigators secured a new court-ordered arrest warrant Tuesday for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose failed martial law bid threw the country into turmoil.

The former star prosecutor has refused questioning three times after his bungled December 3 martial law decree plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

As anti-graft officials and police got a fresh warrant from the same court that issued the first order, Yoon was believed to be holed up in his residence surrounded by hundreds of guards preventing his detention.

"The arrest warrant re-requested for the suspect Yoon was issued today in the afternoon," the Joint Investigation Headquarters said in a statement. 

Seoul Western District Court declined to confirm when contacted by AFP.

The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is leading the probe into the president, has kept secret the length of the second warrant it requested after an initial seven-day warrant expired at the end of Monday.

If investigators are able to detain Yoon, he would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

But they would only have 48 hours to either request another arrest warrant, in order to keep him in detention, or be forced to release him.

Yoon's legal team did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Tuesday.

But after news of the fresh warrant broke, Yoon supporters said they would descend on his residence in the capital Seoul to rally around the impeached leader.

"We just heard that the new warrant was issued by the court. We are heading to Yoon's residence right now. Those living in the countryside will join us in the early morning as well," Rhee Kang-san, 35, told AFP.

Opposition party lawmaker Youn Kun-young told local media Yoon's residence was "turning into a fortress", claiming guards were installing barbed wire and vehicle barricades.

- 'Liability' -

The anti-graft officials have sought more time and help because of the difficulties they have faced, including being met by hundreds of security forces when they entered Yoon's presidential residence on Friday.

Yoon is being investigated on charges of insurrection and, if formally arrested and convicted, faces prison or, at worst, the death penalty. 

His lawyers have repeatedly said the initial warrant was "unlawful", pledging to take further legal action against it. 

They have argued the CIO lacks the authority to investigate because insurrection is not included in the list of offences it can probe.

South Korea has found itself in uncharted territory regardless of the outcome of Yoon's case -- its sitting president will either be arrested, or he will have evaded court-ordered detention.

Experts said the chances of Yoon's arrest were rising.

"I assume that the arrest will happen. A number of conservative politicians already disowned Yoon -- to them now, he is more of a liability rather than an asset," Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP.

The new warrant has left those opposed to Yoon more positive that he will be brought to justice.

"We will all stand together in this fight. I truly hope for Yoon's arrest," said Bae Hoon, 46, who had stayed in front of Yoon's residence for two nights in frigid weather.

- 'Heartbroken' -

CIO chief Oh Dong-woon apologised on Tuesday for the failed first arrest attempt, saying he was "heartbroken".

He also said he was unsure if Yoon was still inside the presidential residence.

"I am considering various possibilities," he said in response to a lawmaker when asked if Yoon had fled.

Yoon's presidential guards refused to budge during a six-hour standoff at his residence on Friday.

The CIO was set up less than four years ago and has fewer than 100 staff, who are yet to prosecute a single case.

South Korea's opposition Democratic Party told AFP on Monday it had submitted a legal complaint against acting president Choi Sang-mok for "dereliction of duty" after he failed to support Yoon's arrest as they requested.

South Korea's Constitutional Court has slated January 14 for the start of Yoon's impeachment trial, which would proceed in his absence if he does not attend.

Local media reported that he was likely to appear on the opening day, but Yoon's lawyer told AFP his appearance was still "undecided".

Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye never appeared for their impeachment trials in 2004 and 2016-2017 respectively.

The court has up to 180 days from December 14, when the court received the case, to determine whether to dismiss Yoon or restore him as president.

hs-cdl-jfx/sco

Originally published as South Korea investigators get new warrant to arrest President Yoon