As South Korea is in turmoil, the impeached President Yoon Suk-Yeol's supporters gathered outside the presidential residence in an attempt to block authorities from entering.
On early Friday, a group of investigators from South Korea's Anti-Corruption body headed to the presidential residence to carry out Yoon's arrest. However, tensions rose as the efforts to detain Yoon were stopped by his supporters and the presidential security service.
Yoon, who had been suspended from duty, declared martial law last December 3, after his policies were blocked by an opposition-dominated parliament. Troops were dispatched to surround the national assembly, shortly after the declaration.
Within hours, the parliament overturned Yoon's declaration, and moved to impeach Yoon on December 14. As part of the criminal investigation into the events, an arrest warrant was approved by a South Korean court earlier this week.
Yoon has remained defiant on the events that unfolded, even ignoring requests for questioning and vowing to fight to retain his position.
However, four hours after police officers and investigators arrived at the location, the scene appeared to have developed into a standoff. Yoon's legal team also confirmed that investigators had arrived, but said that it was unlikely that they would be able to detain the former on Friday.
Moreover, they said that the efforts to detain the president were “reckless” and showed an “outrageous discard for law.” They also described the warrant as “invalid” and “illegal.”
As supporters rallied outside the residence, Yoon assured that he will continue to “fight to the end.”
Yoon's martial law decree ended after six hours, after the national assembly voted to lift the imposition. The former defended his actions, stating that it was a temporary warning against the Democratic Party.
