By Sama Marwan,
The British newspaper The Guardian commented on the arrest of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is currently suspended from office. The arrest took place amid a heavy police presence outside his official residence in the capital, Seoul. According to the report, officials from the Corruption Investigation Office had been seeking his arrest for weeks over rebellion charges linked to his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December.
After abandoning their initial attempt to execute the arrest warrant in early January due to a standoff with Yoon’s security team, investigators returned to his residence on Wednesday, backed by an estimated 3,000 police officers.
What are the charges against Yoon?
The charges against Yoon are serious, though he hasn’t been officially indicted yet. Incitement to rebellion is one of the few crimes that South Korean presidents are not immune from. If convicted, Yoon could face a hefty fine, prison time, or even the death penalty, though South Korea has maintained a long-standing moratorium on executions.
Yoon has become the first South Korean president to be arrested, although several of his predecessors have faced criminal charges and imprisonment after leaving office.
His arrest marks a significant milestone in efforts to hold the hardline conservative accountable for his actions on December 3, when he declared martial law and ordered the military to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly building.
However, legislators—led by the Democratic Party, the main opposition—stood up to the military and voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to retract it within six hours.
What does Yoon’s arrest mean for South Korea?
Yoon’s arrest is seen as a sign that the rule of law is prevailing after weeks of uncertainty that left many South Koreans fearful for the future of their democracy. The situation also raised concerns in the United States, South Korea’s biggest ally.
Why did it take so long to arrest Yoon?
Despite being suspended from office, Yoon still had presidential security privileges, which made it challenging to execute his arrest.
The Presidential Security Service, which includes armed soldiers, played a significant role in preventing his initial arrest. In early January, Yoon’s security detail clashed with prosecutors and police attempting to carry out the first arrest warrant, forcing authorities to retreat and obtain a second warrant, which was successfully executed on Wednesday.
This time, authorities appeared more prepared. Police arrived at Yoon’s residence, referred to as a “fortress,” equipped with ladders to scale the walls and enter the premises. Prosecutors also threatened to arrest Yoon’s security team if they obstructed the operation again.
Media reports indicated that the police were unarmed to help reduce tensions but wore bulletproof vests in case of gunfire from Yoon’s guards. Outside the residence, pro-Yoon protesters clashed with police, but no serious violence was reported.
Yoon’s Reaction
Yoon appeared to soften his stance. After initially resisting arrest, he stated on Wednesday that he would comply with questioning to avoid “bloodshed.”
