Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Officially Arrested

(CLO) South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday morning on charges of rebellion, ending weeks of political tension. Mr. Yoon announced that he would cooperate with the investigation to avoid "bloodshed".

Since the National Assembly voted to suspend him on December 14 following the shock declaration of martial law on December 3, Mr. Yoon has been holed up in his hillside mansion, heavily guarded by his private security force, which had previously thwarted an attempt to arrest him.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Photo: Jung Yeon-Je

In a statement after his arrest, Mr. Yoon affirmed that he accepted the investigation to avoid violence when more than 3,000 police surrounded his residence from dawn.

"When I saw them breach the security area with firefighting equipment today, I decided to cooperate with the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office, even though it is an illegal investigation, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed," Mr. Yoon said.

Mr. Yoon was taken to the headquarters of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Agency that same morning. According to regulations, the authorities have 48 hours to question Mr. Yoon before having to request a detention order of up to 20 days or release him.

Mr. Yoon's lawyers argue that the arrest is illegal and intended to humiliate him in public.

As local media reported that Mr Yoon would soon be detained, minor scuffles broke out between his supporters and police near his residence, with many supporters breaking down in tears.

Yoon's sudden declaration of martial law shocked South Koreans, battered Asia's fourth-largest economy and plunged the country into unprecedented political turmoil.

Currently, the Constitutional Court of South Korea is considering whether to uphold the impeachment decision and officially remove Mr. Yoon from office or restore his presidential power.

Hong Hanh (according to Yonhap, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-han-quoc-bi-luan-toi-yoon-suk-yeol-chinh-thuc-bi-bat-post330473.html