South Korean law enforcement officials detained impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Wednesday over his brief imposition of martial law last month.
In a video message recorded before he was escorted to the headquarters of an anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented that the “rule of law has completely collapsed in this country,” but said he was complying with the detention warrant to prevent clashes between law enforcement officials and the presidential security service.
A series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, were seen leaving the presidential compound amid police escorts. A vehicle apparently carrying Yoon later arrived at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials in the nearby city of Gwacheon.
Yoon was brought into custody about three hours after hundreds of law enforcement officers entered the residential compound in their second attempt to detain him over his imposition of martial law last month.
Yoon’s lawyers tried to persuade investigators not to execute the detention warrant, saying the president would voluntarily appear for questioning, but the agency declined.
Little resistance from security forces
The officers seemingly encountered no meaningful resistance from presidential security forces as they approached Yoon’s residence, and there were no immediate reports of clashes.
More than a thousand anti-corruption investigators and police officers were deployed in the operation to apprehend Yoon, who has been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to “fight to the end” against the efforts to oust him.
Yoon has justified his declaration of martial law Dec. 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an “anti-state” opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda.
The anti-corruption agency is leading a joint investigation with police and the military over whether Yoon’s martial law declaration amounted to an attempted rebellion. They bought him into custody after he ignored several summons for questioning.
The agency had pledged more forceful measures to detain him after the presidential security service blocked their initial efforts on Jan. 3.
