South Korea’s Impeached President Defies Arrest Warrant

South Korean investigators faced a six-hour standoff at the official residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who defied their attempt to detain him. This marks another escalation in a deepening political crisis that has left the nation’s politics in turmoil, with two presidents impeached in less than a month.

The anti-corruption agency stated that their investigators were forced to withdraw after presidential security personnel blocked access to Yoon’s residence, citing safety concerns. The agency criticized Yoon’s defiance, expressing “serious regret about the attitude of the suspect, who did not respond to a process by law.”

Yoon Suk Yeol, a former prosecutor, has repeatedly evaded investigators’ efforts to question him. His last public appearance was on December 12, when he delivered a defiant televised address from the presidential office, vowing to resist efforts to remove him from power.

The crisis erupted on December 3, when Yoon declared martial law, deploying troops to surround the National Assembly after accusing the opposition-dominated parliament of obstructing his policies. Investigators are now considering charges of rebellion against the impeached president.