Investigators crossed the barricade and entered the residence of South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol to execute an arrest warrant.
1. President Yoon Suk-Yeol may be transferred to detention center
After completing the interrogation at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), President Yoon Suk-Yeol may be transferred to the Seoul Detention Center and placed in a separate cell. In 2017, former South Korean President Park Geun-hye was also taken to this detention center to serve her sentence.
Prosecutors are expected to request an arrest warrant for him on the morning of January 17, 48 hours after he was detained by the CIO for questioning.
2. CIO Prepares for an Unprecedented Interrogation
The CIO has made extensive preparations for the interrogation of President Yoon Suk-Yeol, including adding extra chairs in the investigation room equipped with cameras. A separate room opposite the interrogation room has also been furnished with additional sofas.
According to the prosecution, this move was made because investigators may need to question President Yoon for an extended period, and he may have limited freedom to move in and out of the building due to security concerns.
3. South Korea’s Ruling Party Criticizes President’s Arrest
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) criticized the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) for “rebelling” by executing the arrest of President Yoon Suk-Yeol, vowing to hold the CIO politically and legally accountable for its “illegal actions.”
Shin Dong-Wook, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated that the CIO arrested President Yoon not to conduct an investigation but to serve political purposes. “The public will perceive the prosecution office as having lost its political neutrality,” he said.
4. South Korea’s Chief Prosecutor Personally Investigates President Yoon Suk-Yeol
South Korea’s Chief Prosecutor, Cha Jeong-hyeon, will personally lead the investigation into President Yoon. Due to the extensive list of investigative questions, which spans around 200 pages, Senior Prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan will also participate in the process.
5. Motorcade Carries President Yoon to CIO Headquarters
The motorcade carrying President Yoon Suk-Yeol arrived at the CIO office at 11:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. Hanoi time). President Yoon stepped out of the vehicle, entered the building directly, and did not reveal his face. The media outside only caught a glimpse of his silhouette from behind.
The prosecution is expected to begin questioning him shortly as a suspect.
6. President Yoon Speaks Before Arriving at the CIO Office
“I do not recognize the CIO’s investigation,” President Yoon said in a televised speech before leaving the South Korean Presidential Residence.
“The President of South Korea has a duty to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. Responding to such illegal and worthless procedures does not mean acknowledging them but rather an effort to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. It is deeply regrettable that the rule of law in this country has completely collapsed,” he said.
7. President Yoon Arrested
The CIO announced that President Yoon Suk-Yeol was arrested on charges of rebellion at 10:33 a.m. on January 15 (8:33 a.m. Hanoi time). The motorcade carrying President Yoon departed from the residence and headed to the interrogation site.
8. President Yoon’s Response
“President Yoon has agreed to appear in person at the CIO office today,” Seok Dong-hyeon, the lawyer representing President Yoon Suk-yeol, announced on his personal Facebook page, adding that the president will make a public statement.
However, lawyer Seok emphasized that President Yoon would cooperate with the interrogation only if law enforcement officers withdraw from the residence, according to Reuters.
9. Police Deny Arrest of Deputy Presidential Security Chief
A South Korean police spokesperson denied reports that Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), had been arrested. This contradicts earlier widespread media claims that investigators apprehended Kim within President Yoon’s residence grounds and disabled his radio. The police spokesperson clarified that “no one has been arrested” inside President Yoon’s residence.
Kim is currently serving as the acting head of the PSS following the resignation of Director Park Chong-jun on January 10. Kim is known for his loyalty to President Yoon and has been leading efforts to turn the presidential residence into a “fortress.”
10. Investigators Enter President Yoon’s Residence
After passing through three layers of barricades, investigators managed to enter President Yoon Suk-Yeol’s living quarters within the residence compound. The building’s doors were open, staff members were seen moving in and out, and President Yoon is expected to appear soon.
At a press conference in Seoul, an official from the South Korean Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that prosecutors, “including the Chief Prosecutor, have entered the president’s living quarters and are coordinating the execution of the arrest warrant.”
The official also disclosed that President Yoon’s representatives attempted to negotiate terms for his “voluntary appearance” before the CIO, but their proposal was rejected.
“At this stage, we are no longer considering the option of voluntary appearance. Our objective today is to execute the arrest warrant,” the official stated, adding that investigators and police encountered far less resistance from security personnel this time compared to their initial attempt, with “almost no clashes” between the two sides.
11. Opposition Party Demands Yoon’s Arrest Today
“The CIO and police must not back down. They must arrest Yoon Suk-yeol, the leader of this rebellion, today,” declared Park Chan-dae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers, during a press conference at the National Assembly. This followed an emergency session with colleagues discussing the president’s arrest warrant.
Park emphasized that South Korea requires a swift arrest to “restore national dignity and return the country to normalcy.” He reiterated accusations that President Yoon Suk-Yeol had “trampled on the Constitution and the law” by declaring martial law and “turning South Korea into a lawless land.”
Criticizing Yoon’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation and his continued stay at the residence in Yongsan District, Park called the president’s actions “selfish and cowardly.”
“President Yoon must stop pushing agents and bodyguards into illegal situations and accept the arrest warrant,” Park said.
12. Police Overcome the First Barricade
South Korean television reported that police and investigators had successfully breached the first obstacle and barricade at President Yoon’s residence. According to Yonhap, in addition to the main entry point, investigators also launched at least two other approaches—using ladders to climb in and entering through the back gate of the residence.
13. Clashes Between Police and Yoon’s Supporters
Supporters of President Yoon Suk-Yeol had been gathering for days outside the residence, braving sub-zero temperatures and chanting slogans such as “illegal impeachment” and “free South Korea.”
14. Arrest Warrant Execution
“The execution of the president’s arrest warrant has begun. This is an extremely critical moment for maintaining order and the rule of law in South Korea,” Acting President Choi Sang-mok declared in the early hours of January 15.
Around 5:00 a.m. local time (3:00 a.m. Hanoi time), investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) and police arrived outside the residence in central Seoul. They presented a warrant for the search and arrest of President Yoon Suk-Yeol. However, agents from the Presidential Security Service (PSS) blocked their entry, setting up barricades with vehicles near the entrance.
A group of lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party and Yoon’s lawyers also attempted to stop the police. Some investigators reportedly tried to enter the compound via a nearby walking path.
Approximately 3,000 police officers were deployed for the operation. South Korean authorities estimated that about 6,500 Yoon supporters gathered outside the residence. Police warned that those obstructing their efforts could face arrest.
President Yoon Suk-Yeol is under criminal investigation for alleged conspiracy to revolt following his declaration of martial law in early December 2024. The West Seoul Court issued the arrest warrant after Yoon ignored investigators’ summons for questioning.
On January 3, investigators attempted to execute the arrest warrant but were unsuccessful due to interference from the PSS and the 55th Security Brigade under the Capital Defense Command.
The CIO later requested an extension of the arrest warrant, which is now valid until January 21. One day prior to the current operation, the 55th Security Brigade announced it would not obstruct the police, while the PSS maintained that any “intrusion” into the president’s residence was illegal.
Follow us:
- Website: DNG
- Fanpage: DNG news
- Service Marketing từ A-Z: Marketingseotop
- Travel: +84968 585 775 (whatsapp)