Impeached South Korean President’s lawyers slam detention efforts as acting leader warns of clash

Efforts to detain impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol spark concerns over potential clashes with security forces.

Lawyers for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol denounced efforts to detain him over his short-lived imposition of martial law, while the country’s acting leader expressed concern Wednesday (January 8, 2025) over a possible clash between law enforcement agents and presidential security personnel.

As anti-corruption officials and police prepared another attempt to detain Mr. Yoon following last week’s failed effort, the presidential security service fortified Mr. Yoon's compound with barbed wire and rows of tightly placed vehicles blocking the path to his residence.

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The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials and police say they will make a more forceful effort to detain Mr. Yoon, warning that they could arrest members of the presidential security staff if they obstruct efforts to seize the embattled president.

The office, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military, has been seeking Mr. Yoon’s detention since he repeatedly ignored summons for questioning about whether his brief power grab on Dec. 3 constituted rebellion.

In a news conference, Mr. Yoon’s lawyers challenged the legitimacy of a new detention warrant issued Tuesday by the Seoul Western District Court, arguing that the anti-corruption agency lacks legal authority to investigate rebellion charges or order police to detain suspects.

Yoon Kap-keun, one of the lawyers, urged the anti-corruption agency to either indict the president or seek a formal arrest warrant — a process that would require a court hearing.