Seoul: South Korea’s anti-corruption investigative agency announced on Monday that it has entrusted the police with the responsibility of executing an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) confirmed that it had sent an official document on Sunday night, placing the arrest warrant execution at the discretion of the National Office of Investigation (NOI) of the Korean National Police Agency.
According to Namibia Press Agency, CIO investigators and police officers had previously attempted to arrest the impeached president at the presidential residence on January 3. However, this effort was thwarted by the presidential security service, which blocked the execution of the arrest warrant issued by a Seoul court. The warrant was valid for a week, expiring on Monday. The CIO cited the police’s expertise in executing arrest warrants and the need for a unified command structure at the scene as reasons for transferring the task to the NOI, aiming for a quicker and more efficient arrest process.
The anti-corruption agency has faced criticism for its perceived ineffectiveness since its establishment, with analysts noting its relative weakness and lack of tangible achievements. The decision to obtain the arrest warrant from the Seoul Western District Court, rather than the corresponding authority at the Seoul Central District Court, was criticized by opponents as a “selective operation.” The ruling People Power Party also labeled the CIO’s actions as an “overreach and inappropriate.”
The police, on the other hand, believe that the document sent by the CIO requesting execution of the arrest warrant is legally flawed. They argue that the execution should occur within the joint investigation unit, which comprises the CIO, the NOI, and the defense ministry’s investigation headquarters. Youn Kun-young, a member of the Public Administration and Security Committee of South Korea’s national assembly, noted this after a visit to the NOI. Local media reports suggest that the police view their role as supportive, rather than as the primary executor of the warrant.
The NOI mentioned that discussions are ongoing regarding the methods for executing the arrest warrant within the joint investigation unit framework, and measures are being considered to address potential obstruction by the presidential security service. This could include arresting security personnel who interfere with the warrant’s execution.
Analysts anticipate significant resistance and low chances of success in a second arrest attempt. Park Jong-joon, chief of South Korea’s presidential security service, has vowed to continue blocking any attempts to arrest Yoon. He emphasized that compliance with the arrest warrant would be a dereliction of duty and an abandonment of presidential security. The CIO has requested acting President Choi Sang-mok to order the presidential security service to comply with the arrest warrant, though it remains unclear if the acting president will cooperate.
Local media have reported that security has been tightened and facilities such as barbed wire have been installed at the presidential residence in anticipation of further developments.