SOUTH Korea’s impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol has finally been detained – hours after officials swarmed his presidential compound.
Thousands were seen gathered outside Yoon’s official home in Seoul last night – six weeks after his failed bid to declare martial law.
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The impeached president was wanted over allegations he abused his power in office, but managed to dodge arrest earlier this month when his bodyguards blocked cops from raiding his compound.
Similar scenes, however, erupted outside his home in Seoul last night, with hundreds of police officers sent to detain the wanted man who has been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence for weeks.
Speaking in a video message moments before his arrest, Yoon said the “rule of law has completely collapsed” but said he was complying with the detention warrant to prevent clashes between law enforcement officials and the presidential security service.
A series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, were seen leaving the presidential compound amid police escorts.
A vehicle apparently carrying Yoon later arrived at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials in the nearby city of Gwacheon.
It came hours after cops first arrived at his residence at around 5am on Wednesday local time (8pm Tuesday, UK time).
But they were met with fierce opposition from the president’s security service, sparking a tense standoff.
Yoon’s staff are said to have fortified the luxury villa in anticipation of another arrest attempt.
A large defensive barrier appeared to have been built around the gates by parking up buses, vans and cars to block off the entrance.
Barbed wire fences also reportedly stood in place.
While staff were reportedly seen walking in and out of the home, hundreds of cops managed to storm the residential compound in Seoul the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Kim Sung-hoon, the acting head of the Presidential Security Service, was reportedly arrested during the chaos, according to local media.
A South Korea police spokesperson, however, later denied the claim and said they are yet to make any arrests.
Police were enacting an arrest warrant placed on the disgraced president after he was charged with inciting an insurrection over his failed attempt to impose martial law in December.
Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) investigators were joined by South Korean cops as they tried to find a way into the home for over three hours.
They have also been arguing with queues of ruling party lawmakers over if the arrest is legal despite them having an arrest warrant.
The determined lawmakers even formed a human wall to block investigators.
Loyal supporters of Yoon even created their own blockade using themselves as human shields – despite a freezing minus six degree temperatures.
Yoon loyalists did a similar move at the start of January when officials first tried to detain the president.
Hundreds vowed to block the arrest “with our lives” as some even chanted “President Yoon Suk Yeol will be protected by the people.”
Police were forced to abort their arrest operation on January 3, after spending hours looking for the hiding president.
Today’s follow up attempt is set to last for hours if investigators are still unable to reach Yoon who they believe is inside.
Elsewhere, anti-Yoon protestors are also lining up in the streets ordering the arrest of the president.
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The crowds are chanting “arrest him”, report the BBC.
At least one person has been injured in the crowds after collapsing during the standoff.
Yoon’s top aide has spent the past few days pleading with cops to abandon efforts to forcefully arrest him.
Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk said Yoon would be open to being questioned instead.
Yoon would become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested if the warrant was to be carried out.
Why is Yoon a wanted man?
South Korea‘s parliament has been carrying out an investigation into the power grab since it happened on December 3.
Yoon is alleged to have told a defence commander to “break down the doors [of the parliament], even if it means shooting.”
The president declared martial law in a late-night TV address that seemed to come out of nowhere.
But the martial law decree was only in place for six hours as Yoon buckled to public pressure and mass protests that quickly formed.
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Elite special forces soldiers armed with high powered rifles had already stormed the parliament and were given permission to shoot.
Seoul residents turned up to the parliament and protested – forming a human shield against the heavily armed troops.
Brave MPs and staffers battled the soldiers with fires extinguishers and built barricades from office furniture.
Within hours, 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of troops and police to vote against Yoon’s order.
He told South Koreans he needed to free the country from North Korean forces trying to “paralyse the essential functions of the state”.
Analysts described Yoon’s decision as a “last ditch attempt” by a “lame duck president” to push his agenda through.
He was then impeached on December 14 in an overwhelming vote that also saw members of his own party vote for it.
Despite being impeached, Yoon declared he would “not give up” and called for officials to maintain government stability.
What is the South Korea crisis?
SOUTH Korea is in completely uncharted territory.
This is the first time a sitting president has ever faced arrest, so there is no precedent for the situation.
When Yoon was impeached three weeks ago, he was technically stripped from power – but that parliamentary process assumes the president will step down willingly.
The fact that he has refused the impeachment order leaves it unclear where the power lies.
The main opposition party has said that in future police should arrest anyone who stands in their way.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Yoon still has a group of fiercely loyal supporters, which maintains some legitimacy for his presidency.
The arrest warrant for the president is valid until January 6, so the authorities can keep trying to arrest Yoon until then.
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