South Korean presidential guards prevent arrest of impeached Yoon after tensed stand-off

Supporters of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol gathered outside his residence in the early hours of Friday, preventing his arrest during a tense standoff.

Yoon is under criminal investigation for insurrection related to his December 3 martial law bid, which has plunged the nation into political turmoil. Reports indicate that what was intended to be a swift arrest escalated into a six-hour standoff outside his residence.

“It was judged that it was virtually impossible to execute the arrest warrant due to the ongoing standoff,” the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said in a statement.

CIO officials and police officers attempting to arrest Yoon were blocked by hundreds of his supporters, who declared, “We will block the arrest with our lives.”

The CIO reportedly made their way into Yoon’s compound, heavily guarded by cordons of Presidential Security Service (PSS) personnel, as well as military troops seconded to presidential security They had formed layers of human chains to block the CIO and police from advancing any further.

The CIO has suspended Yoon’s arrest and announced plans to review the incident to determine their next steps.