Impeached president Yoon Suk-yeol, in a letter to conservative supporters rallying outside his Seoul residence, vowed to “fight to the end” against “anti-state forces,” while his legal team claimed that police officers attempting to detain him could face arrest by his presidential security service or even civilians.
Yoon’s latest statements of defiance came as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials prepared to execute its detainment warrant against him, issued by a Seoul court on Tuesday and valid for one week.
The warrant was in response to Yoon’s evasion of multiple requests to appear for questioning and blocking searches of his office, hindering an investigation into whether his short-lived power grab on Dec 3 amounted to rebellion.
Oh Dong-woon, the anti-corruption agency’s chief prosecutor, has indicated that police forces might be deployed if Yoon’s security service resists the detention attempt.
But it remains unclear whether Yoon can be compelled to submit to questioning.
Yoon’s legal team issued a statement yesterday warning that any attempt by the anti-corruption agency to use police mobile units for his detention would exceed their legal authority.
The lawyers further said that police officers could face arrest by either the “presidential security service or any citizens” if they try to detain him.
They didn’t further elaborate on the claim.
South Korean law permits anyone to make arrests to stop an active crime, and critics accused Yoon of inciting his supporters to obstruct law enforcement’s attempts to detain him.
In a message to hundreds of supporters gathered outside his residence on Wednesday evening, Yoon said he would continue to fight against anti-state forces “violating our sovereignty” and putting the nation in “danger.” — AP
