Impeached South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on Wednesday over his failed attempt to impose martial law, ending weeks of defiance against authorities and marking the first detention of a president in the nation’s history.
Yoon faces charges of insurrection following last month’s brief but controversial martial law bid.
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The former prosecutor and leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), who won the presidency in 2022, could face life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.
For weeks, Yoon avoided arrest by sheltering in his residential compound, guarded by members of the Presidential Security Service (PSS) who remained loyal to him.
His residence was fortified with barbed wire and barricades, prompting critics to label it a “fortress.”
Yoon Suk-yeol, presidential candidate from the main opposition People Power Party, during a presidential debate at the MBC studio in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. Ruling Democratic Party and main opposition People Power Party agreed to convene a plenary session Monday to push through extra budget aimed to support self-employed small enterprises, Yonhap News says, citing the two parties. Photographer: Lee Young-ho/Sipa Press/Bloomberg
After thwarting an initial arrest attempt on January 3, during a tense standoff between his guards and law enforcement, Yoon vowed to “fight to the end.”
However, early Wednesday, hundreds of officers and investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office surrounded the compound, scaling walls and navigating back trails to reach the main building.
Following a five-hour standoff, Yoon was taken into custody. In a pre-recorded video statement released shortly after his arrest, Yoon declared his compliance was to avoid “unfortunate bloodshed,” though he contested the legality of the investigation.
Yoon was transported in a convoy to the Corruption Investigation Office, where questioning began shortly after his arrest, according to Yonhap News.
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