Just as it took South Korea’s National Assembly two tries to successfully impeach disgraced President Yoon Suk-yeol over his failed attempt at an auto-golpe by declaring martial law back on December 3, it also took the police and corruption investigators two tries to overcome opposition from Yoon’s still numerous cultish supporters and his hundreds strong presidential security force to finally put him under formal arrest — or at least detained in custody so he can answer official questions concerning his actions and motivations regarding those events. From the AP:
South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained in a massive law enforcement operation at the presidential compound Wednesday morning, saying he complied with the warrant after weeks of defiance over attempts to question him in the investigation over his imposition of martial law last month.
In a video message recorded before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented that the “rule of law has completely collapsed in this country.” Yoon’s lawyers tried to persuade investigators not to execute the detention warrant, saying the president would voluntarily appear for questioning, but the agency declined.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said Yoon was brought into custody about three hours after hundreds of law enforcement officers entered the residential compound in the agency's second attempt to detain him, this time without encountering meaningful resistance.
This is a rather curious description of today’s events. It took three long hours for police to force their way through the crowds of Yoon supporters, and resistance didn’t really collapse until police succeeded in arresting the acting head of Yoon’s presidential security force (the original commander had resigned several days after the first failed attempt to arrest Yoon).
The National Police Agency has convened multiple meetings of field commanders in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province in recent days to plan their detainment efforts, and the size of those forces fueled speculation that more than a thousand officers could be deployed in a possible multiday operation. The agency and police have openly warned that presidential bodyguards obstructing the execution of the warrant could be arrested.
Yoon’s lawyers have claimed that the detainment warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid. They cited a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge — which would be Yoon. The court warrant for Yoon’s detainment is valid through Jan. 21.
Yoon’s supporters and critics have held competing protests near the residence — one side vowing to protect him, the other calling for his imprisonment — while thousands of police officers in yellow jackets closely monitored the tense situation.
…
Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating on whether to formally remove Yoon from office or reject the charges and reinstate him.
The Constitutional Court held its first formal hearing in the case on Tuesday, but the session lasted less than five minutes because Yoon refused to attend. The next hearing is set for Thursday, and the court will then proceed with the trial whether or not Yoon is there.
At least South Korea still takes the rule of law and the defense of democracy seriously. If only that were still true in the good old US of A.
