Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on Wednesday, marking the end of a weeks-long standoff with authorities over his failed bid to impose martial law. This makes him the first president in the nation’s history to be detained.
Yoon faces charges of insurrection following his attempt to declare martial law last month. In a pre-recorded video message released after his arrest, Yoon stated that he chose to cooperate with investigators to avoid “bloodshed,” though he disputed the legality of the investigation.
The former prosecutor and leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), who won the 2022 presidential election, could face life imprisonment or the death penalty if found guilty of insurrection.
Yoon had evaded arrest for weeks by remaining in his fortified residence, protected by loyal members of the Presidential Security Service (PSS). His security detail installed barbed wire and barricades around the compound, drawing criticism from opposition leaders who likened it to a “fortress.”
An earlier attempt to arrest Yoon on January 3 failed after a tense, hours-long standoff between his guards and anti-corruption investigators.
However, early on Wednesday, hundreds of police officers and investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office surrounded the residence once again. Some officers scaled walls and used back trails to reach the main building. After a five-hour standoff, authorities confirmed Yoon’s arrest.
The former president was taken in a convoy to the offices of the Corruption Investigation Office, where questioning began shortly after his arrival, according to Yonhap News Agency