By KIM TONG-HYUNG, Related Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, in a message to conservative supporters rallying outdoors his Seoul residence, vowed to “fight to the end” towards “anti-state forces,” whereas his authorized staff warned Thursday that cops making an attempt to detain him might face arrest by his presidential safety service and even civilians.
Yoon’s newest assertion of defiance got here because the Corruption Investigation Workplace for Excessive-Rating Officers ready to execute a detainment warrant towards him that was issued by a Seoul court docket on Tuesday and is legitimate for one week. The warrant was issued after Yoon evaded a number of requests to seem for questioning and blocked searches of his workplace, hindering an investigation into whether or not his short-lived energy seize on Dec. 3 amounted to insurrection.
Cops escort away a supporter of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol as Yoon faces potential arrest after a court docket on Tuesday permitted a warrant for his arrest, close to the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Oh Dong-woon, the anti-corruption company’s chief prosecutor, has indicated that police forces may be deployed if Yoon’s safety service resists the detention try, which might happen as early as Thursday. Nevertheless it stays unclear whether or not Yoon could be compelled to undergo questioning.
Yoon’s authorized staff issued a press release on Thursday warning that any try by the anti-corruption company to make use of police items for his detention would exceed their authorized authority. The legal professionals mentioned cops might face arrest by both the “presidential security service or any citizens” in the event that they attempt to detain Yoon. They didn’t elaborate additional on the declare.
South Korean regulation permits anybody to make an arrest to cease an energetic crime, and critics accused Yoon of inciting his supporters to impede makes an attempt to detain him.
In a message to supporters gathered outdoors his residence Wednesday night, Yoon mentioned he would proceed to struggle towards anti-state forces “violating our sovereignty” and placing the nation in “danger.” He applauded his supporters for his or her efforts to guard “liberal democracy and constitutional order” and mentioned he was watching their protests on dwell YouTube broadcasts, in response to a photograph of the message shared by Yoon’s legal professionals.
Yoon Kap-keun, the president’s lawyer, filed a problem with the Seoul Western District Court docket on Thursday to dam each the detention warrant for Yoon Suk Yeol and a associated search warrant for his residence. The lawyer argued that each warrants violate felony legal guidelines and the structure.
The liberal opposition Democratic Social gathering, which drove the legislative vote that impeached Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec. 14 over his imposition of martial regulation, accused the president of making an attempt to mobilize his supporters to dam his detention and referred to as for regulation enforcement authorities to execute the warrant instantly.
Braving subfreezing temperatures, hundreds of Yoon’s supporters rallied for hours close to his residence on Thursday amid a heavy police presence, waving South Korean and American flags whereas chanting, “Nullify the impeachment!” and “We will protect President Yoon Suk Yeol!” Officers eliminated some protesters who laid down on a highway resulting in the doorway of Yoon’s residence, however there have been no quick experiences of main clashes.
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose a court docket having issued a warrant to detain Yoon, close to the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The indicators learn, “Oppose impeachment.” (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
“The Corruption Investigation Office must detain him immediately, and the presidential security service must cooperate with the lawful execution of the detainment warrant,” mentioned Park Chan-dae, the Democrats’ flooring chief.
“They should be aware that obstructing the execution of the detainment warrant could result in punishment for interference with official duties and complicity in rebellion,” he mentioned.
Yoon’s legal professionals have argued that the court docket’s detainment warrant is invalid, claiming that the anti-corruption company lacks the authorized authority to analyze insurrection fees. Additionally they accuse the court docket of bypassing a regulation that claims places doubtlessly linked to army secrets and techniques can’t be seized or searched with out the consent of the individual in cost.
Some consultants imagine the anti-corruption company, which is main a joint investigation with police and army authorities, wouldn’t threat clashing with Yoon’s safety service, which has mentioned it would present safety to Yoon in accordance with the regulation. The workplace could as an alternative situation one other summons for Yoon to seem for questioning if they aren’t in a position to execute the detainment warrant by Jan. 6.
If Yoon is detained, the anti-corruption company can have 48 hours to analyze him and both request a warrant for his formal arrest or launch him. Yoon’s protection minister, police chief and several other high army commanders have already been arrested over their roles within the martial regulation enactment.
Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended following a Nationwide Meeting vote to question him on Dec. 14 over his imposition of martial regulation, which lasted solely hours however has triggered weeks of political turmoil, halted high-level diplomacy and rattled monetary markets. Yoon’s destiny now lies with the Constitutional Court docket, which has begun deliberations on whether or not to uphold the impeachment and formally take away Yoon from workplace or reinstate him.
To formally finish Yoon’s presidency, a minimum of six justices on the nine-member Constitutional Court docket should vote in favor.
The Nationwide Meeting voted final week to additionally impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who grew to become appearing president after Yoon’s powers have been suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court docket vacancies forward of the court docket’s evaluate of Yoon’s case.
Dealing with rising stress, the brand new appearing president, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, appointed two new justices on Tuesday, which presumably elevated the possibilities of the court docket upholding Yoon’s impeachment.
Cho Han-chang, one of many newly appointed justices, mentioned Thursday that he started his job with a “heavy heart.” Jeong Gye-seon, the opposite new justice, expressed hope that the remaining emptiness could be stuffed.
Yoon’s imposition of martial regulation ended after solely six hours when the Nationwide Meeting voted 190-0 to elevate it regardless of makes an attempt by closely armed troopers to forestall them from voting.
Yoon has defended his martial regulation decree as a needed act of governance, portraying it as a short lived warning towards the Democratic Social gathering, which he has described as an “anti-state” pressure obstructing his agenda with its legislative majority.
