South Korean impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol detained amid ongoing martial law probe

Yoon Suk Yeol ’s impeachment and subsequent detention stem from his declaration of martial law, a move that has drawn widespread criticism and intensified political tensions in the country.

South Korea's anti-corruption agency announced the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday. This comes following a dramatic operation involving hundreds of investigators and police officers at his presidential compound. A convoy of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, was seen departing the compound under police escort. The large-scale operation marked the agency’s second attempt to detain the former President over his controversial imposition of martial law last month.

As per reports, a large number of force of law enforcement officers entered the presidential compound to execute the detention. Despite the high-security environment, the officers encountered no significant resistance from the presidential security forces. Following an hourslong standoff at the compound's gate, anti-corruption investigators and police officers were seen moving up the hilly compound. Police officers were earlier seen using ladders to climb over rows of buses placed by the presidential security service near the compound's entrance.

Law enforcement officers at Yoon's residence

Anti-corruption investigators and police later arrived in front of a metal gate with a gold presidential mark that's near Yoon's residential building. Some officers were seen entering a security door on the side of the metal gate, joined by one of Yoon's lawyers and his chief of staff. The presidential security service later removed a bus and other vehicles that had been parked tightly inside the gate as a barricade.

Yoon has justified his declaration of martial law on December 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an "anti-state" opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda. Yoon's lawyers were trying to persuade investigators not to execute the detention warrant, saying the president would voluntarily appear for questioning but the agency told reporters they weren't immediately considering that option. 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 and sought to bring him into custody after he ignored several summons for questioning. They have pledged more forceful measures to detain him after the presidential security service blocked their initial efforts on January 3.

Yoon was impeached on December 14

Yoon declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly on December 3. It lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and vote to lift the measure. Yoon's presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on December 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.

(With AP inputs)

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