SOUTH Korean officials are attempting to arrest president Yoon Suk Yeol for a SECOND time after his failed martial law declaration.
Yoon, who has been impeached, is now a fugitive, accused of misusing his authority. The BBC reports that around 1,000 riot police are expected to surround his official residence in an attempt to apprehend him.
Following his failed bid to declare martial law in December, Yoon faces charges of provoking an uprising, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant by the police.
Authorities first started to swarm the Seoul residence at around 5am on Wednesday local time (8pm Tuesday, UK time).
They were met with opposition from the president’s security service are now said to be engaging in a tense standoff.
Yoon’s staff are said to have fortified the luxury villa in anticipation of another arrest attempt.
A large defensive barrier appears to have been built around the gates by parking up buses, vans and cars to block off the entrance.
Barbed wire fences are also reportedly in place.
Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) investigators are being joined by South Korean cops to try and find a way into the home.
They have also been arguing with queues of ruling party lawmakers over if the arrest is legal despite them having an arrest warrant.
The determined lawmakers even formed a human wall to block investigators.
Loyal supporters of Yoon even created their own blockade using themselves as human shields.
Yoon loyalists did a similar move at the start of January when officials first tried to detain the president.
Hundreds vowed to block the arrest “with our lives” as some even chanted “President Yoon Suk Yeol will be protected by the people.”
Police were forced to abort their arrest operation on January 3, after spending hours looking for the hiding president.
Today’s follow up attempt is set to last for hours if investigators are still unable to reach Yoon who they believe is inside.
Elsewhere, anti-Yoon protestors are also lining up in the streets ordering the arrest of the president.
The crowds are chanting “arrest him”, report the BBC.
Yoon’s top aide has spent the past few days pleading with cops to abandon efforts to forcefully arrest him.
Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk said Yoon would be open to being questioned instead.
Why is Yoon a wanted man?
South Korea’s parliament has been carrying out an investigation into the power grab since it happened on December 3.
Yoon is alleged to have told a defence commander to “break down the doors [of the parliament], even if it means shooting.”
The president declared martial law in a late-night TV address that seemed to come out of nowhere.
But the martial law decree was only in place for six hours as Yoon buckled to public pressure and mass protests that quickly formed.
Elite special forces soldiers armed with high powered rifles had already stormed the parliament and were given permission to shoot.
Seoul residents turned up to the parliament and protested – forming a human shield against the heavily armed troops.
Brave MPs and staffers battled the soldiers with fires extinguishers and built barricades from office furniture.
Within hours, 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of troops and police to vote against Yoon’s order.
He told South Koreans he needed to free the country from North Korean forces trying to “paralyse the essential functions of the state”.
Analysts described Yoon’s decision as a “last ditch attempt” by a “lame duck president” to push his agenda through.
He was then impeached on December 14 in an overwhelming vote that also saw members of his own party vote for it.
Despite being impeached, Yoon declared he would “not give up” and called for officials to maintain government stability.
What is the South Korea crisis?
SOUTH Korea is in completely uncharted territory.
This is the first time a sitting president has ever faced arrest, so there is no precedent for the situation.
Although Yoon was impeached three weeks ago, he was essentially removed from office. However, the parliamentary procedure is based on the assumption that the president will voluntarily resign.
The fact that he has refused the impeachment order leaves it unclear where the power lies.
The main opposition party has said that in future police should arrest anyone who stands in their way.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Yoon still has a group of fiercely loyal supporters, which maintains some legitimacy for his presidency.
The arrest warrant for the president is valid until January 6, so the authorities can keep trying to arrest Yoon until then.
