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 an 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.
A series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, were seen leaving the presidential compound with police escorts. A vehicle apparently carrying Yoon later arrived at the agency’s office in the nearby city of Gwacheon.
Yoon had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to “fight to the end” against the efforts to oust him. He has justified his declaration of martial law Dec. 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an “anti-state” opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda.
The anti-corruption agency is leading a joint investigation with police and the military over whether Yoon’s martial law declaration amounted to an attempted rebellion. They bought him into custody after he ignored several summons for questioning.
The agency had pledged more forceful measures to detain him after the presidential security service blocked their initial efforts on Jan. 3.
