Seoul: The South Korean police effectively refused to execute the warrant to arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday, citing legal controversy over a document forwarded to them by the nation’s anti-corruption body, public broadcaster KBS reported from Seoul.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Baek Dong-heum, the deputy chief of the special police team in charge of the December 3 martial law case, stated that an internal review of a document sent by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) concluded that the document is legally controversial. The document indicated that the CIO would entrust the police with duties related to the execution of the arrest warrant. Baek mentioned that the team would continue consulting with the CIO on the matter and emphasized that the investigation is being carried out in compliance with the law by a joint team comprising investigators from both the CIO and the police.
The arrest warrant is set to expire at 12 a.m. (1500 GMT) Tuesday; however, the CIO plans to request an extension on Monday. Tensions have escalated between rival political camps as the warrant’s expiration looms. Lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) gathered in front of the presidential residence in Seoul in the early hours of Monday to prevent authorities from executing the warrant, accusing the CIO of compromising judicial fairness.
The PPP lawmakers criticized the CIO for attempting to arrest Yoon, arguing it lacks legal authority to investigate the president on suspicion of treason. In contrast, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) condemned the CIO’s decision to involve the police in executing the arrest warrant. DP chair Lee Jae-myung criticized Acting President Choi Sang-mok for not instructing the Presidential Security Service to cooperate in permitting Yoon’s arrest.