Impeached President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol around noon on Wednesday, according to the Asia country local time, surrendered himself for arrest to the Corruption Investigation Office for High Ranking Officials, CIO after the CIO led over 3,000 policemen to invade the residence of the impeached president early morning night at about 1am on Wednesday, breaking barriers mounted by over 200 personnel of Presidential Security Service, PSS who have shielded him from arrest since he was impeached by the country’s Parliament over short-lived martial law he declared in December, 2024.

The impeached South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol in a pre recorded video message, said he decided to surrender to the CIO to avoid bloodshed, insisting, the arrest warrant was illegal and executed by force even when CIO lacked the authority to investigate the case.

CIO said since Yoon was detained in their facility, the impeached President has refused to alter a word or respond to their questions.

“I decided to respond to the CIO’s investigation – despite it being an illegal investigation – to prevent unsavoury bloodshed,” Yoon said in the pre recorded statement.

After the hours standoff, at noon, Yoon’s motorcade was later seen leaving his residence in an upscale area known as Seoul’s Beverly Hills. “It arrived at the investigators’ office but was quickly surrounded by security and moved to the back of the building, where Yoon slipped in, evading the waiting media.

Authorities now have 48 hours to question Yoon, after which they must seek a warrant to detain him for up to 20 days or release him”, according to news reporters monitoring the situation in Seoul.

Yoon, who faces charges of insurrection over his short-lived effort to impose martial law in December 2024, is the first sitting president in the nation’s history to be arrested.

He could face the death penalty or life in jail if he is found guilty of insurrection, according to local observers.

Yonhap News Agency had reported that: “Investigators pass through another line of blockers in 2nd attempt to detain Yoon. Investigators locked in standoff with presidential security in 2nd attempt to detain Yoon. Fire authorities transport 1 injured in standoff outside presidential residence. Search, detention warrants against Yoon to remain valid until January 21. Investigators in physical clash as they attempt to forcibly enter presidential residence. Investigators warn that attempts to resist Yoon’s detention could lead to arrest. Yoon’s lawyers say warrant to detain Yoon ‘invalid’. Police deploy some 3,000 personnel outside presidential residence to secure access. Yoon’s lawyers arrive at presidential residence, protest against attempt to detain impeached president”.

Adding, “Investigators used ladders to enter the presidential residence compound Wednesday in their second attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law.

As of 7:30 am, dozens of police officials had entered the compound in central Seoul and passed through a barricade to carry out warrants to detain Yoon and search his residence about 1/2 hours they began their attempt.

Investigators were initially blocked by the Presidential Security Service, which set up a barricade using vehicles near the entrance. They were also blocked by a group of lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party and Yoon’s lawyers at the entrance.

Some investigators appeared to attempt to secure access to the compound through a nearby hiking trail.”

On Tuesday, Yonhap had reported that; “A military unit guarding the presidential residence on Tuesday approved the entry of police and anti-corruption agency officials into the presidential residence to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, officials said.

Upon request by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the unit under the Capital Defense Command said that it will allow investigators from the CIO, police and the Ministry of Defense to access the presidential residence, according to the CIO.

The unit is responsible for guarding the outside of the presidential residence.

The move is anticipated to help police and CIO officials carry out their second attempt to detain Yoon, expected to take place early Wednesday.

But earlier in the day, the Presidential Security Service suggested it will block the attempt, claiming a forced entry into Yoon’s residence would be “illegal” and vowing to respond in line with its security protocols.”

Meanwhile, Kim Sung-hoon, Deputy Chief of Security and current leader of the PSS that was protecting President Yoon, had been arrested during the standoff.

Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have gathered outside his official residence to once again prevent him from being arrested.

The Yonhap News Agency said at least 6,500 supporters have assembled, and some ruling party lawmakers were forming a human chain. Participants are chanting, “Arrest Lee Jae-myung!”

Paul Sungwon Kim in an X social media tweet, said during the standoff that: “The current scene in front of the President’s residence shows a rally in support of President Yoon. It is now approaching 1 am, Korean time, with a wind chill of -9°C. Crowds are gathering following reports that the CIO and police may attempt to forcibly arrest the President in a few hours”.

“Two CIO vehicles have arrived in front of the [presidential] residence,” Yonhap News TV reported earlier, referring to the Corruption Investigation Office investigating Yoon.

On Tuesday, South Korea’s Constitutional Court adjourned the opening session of the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol within minutes after the embattled leader did not attend court.

A lawyer advising Yoon had said the president, who has been holed up in his hillside villa in Seoul for weeks, would not attend, saying a bid by authorities to detain him prevented Yoon from expressing his position at the trial.

The next trial session is scheduled for Thursday and if Yoon also does not attend, the trial proceedings will go ahead with his legal team representing him, acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae said.

Outside the court, one of Yoon’s lawyers, Yoon Kab-keun, said the president would decide whether to go to court in person on Thursday after discussions on his defense strategy.

The Constitutional Court must decide within 180 days whether to remove Yoon from office or restore his presidential powers.

Yoon also faces a criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, with authorities seeking to execute an arrest warrant after he ignored summons to appear for questioning.

“A legitimate warrant must exist, and… it must be legally presented and executed,” which does not mean “jumping fences or damaging property without presenting a warrant,” his lawyer Yoon said, repeating that the current arrest warrant was invalid.

Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024 that was withdrawn after about six hours has plunged one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies into a period of unprecedented political turbulence.

The defense ministry said Tuesday that military forces in charge of presidential security would not be mobilized in relation to Yoon’s warrant execution.

Reuters showed a video footage of hundreds of police officers marching up the road leading to his hillside villa, where he has been holed up for weeks guarded by a small army of personal security.

“A previous arrest attempt on January 3, 2025 failed after a six-hour standoff between investigators and Yoon’s presidential security agents and military guards.

South Korean impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol in the recorded speech released minutes before his arrest said: “Dear citizens, how have you been?

I would like to thank you so much for cheering me on and giving me so much support.

Unfortunately, the law has completely collapsed in this country. It is truly regrettable to see warrants being issued to agencies without investigative authority, and courts without warrant review authority issuing arrest warrants and search and seizure warrants, and investigative agencies issuing false official documents to deceive the public, committing such illegal acts and forcibly proceeding with procedures using invalid warrants.

Even though I am disadvantaged like this, I really hope that this kind of thing will not happen to our citizens in the future when they experience criminal cases like this.

Today, I saw them infiltrating the security zone using firefighting equipment, and in order to prevent an unpleasant bloodshed, I decided to appear before the Public Prosecutor’s Office, even though it is an illegal investigation.

However, I do not approve of the investigation by this public prosecutor’s office. As the President, who must protect the Constitution and legal system of the Republic of Korea, responding to such illegal and invalid procedures does not mean acknowledging them, but rather is merely trying to prevent unpleasant bloodshed.

Seeing the people, especially our youth, truly re-recognizing the value of liberal democracy and showing passion for it, I have come to believe that although these are dark times when the law is collapsing, the future of this country is hopeful. Dear citizens, I hope you stay healthy and strong. thank you”

Few days ago, we had earlier reported that there are indications that the criminal investigators in South Korea have mobilized over 2,000 police to wear down or overcome the men of the Presidential Security Service, PSS currently protecting the country’s impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol from being arrested after Court re-issued order of arrest on Tuesday when the previous court order expired with failed attempt by the criminal investigators to carry out the arrest order last week due to stand off mounted by heavily armed PSS.

Local media on Wednesday reported that the South Korea’s Presidential Security Service, an agency assigned to protect the president, prides itself on being the last bastion for a safe and stable state administration is now at the heart of South Korea’s biggest political mess in decades, acting as a final line of defense to prevent criminal investigators from detaining President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The media reported that the impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence has been turned into a “fortress”, with layers of barbed wire and vehicle blockades protecting the elusive leader as at on Wednesday.

It was gathered that the 64-year-old former prosecutor was at home when investigators carried out their failed attempt to arrest him last week and was still there until early this week, the Yonhap news agency, citing police, reported on Wednesday.

The Criminal investigators say they are now unsure of his whereabouts as Yoon keeps them guessing behind a wall of protection even though a new warrant cleared the way for renewed efforts to arrest him.

“I am considering various possibilities,” Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) chief Oh Dong-woon said on Tuesday in response to a lawmaker who asked if Yoon had already fled.

South Korea’s Presidential Security Service was seen fortifying the hillside villa where President Yoon Suk Yeol is believed to be, according to media reporters on ground motoring the situation.

Reuters on Wednesday stated that various scenarios reported in local media included mobilising police special tactical units and heavy equipment to push through the barricades, followed by more than 2,000 police to drag out presidential guards, taking as long as three days if necessary to wear down presidential security agents.

Adding, protesters both supporting and opposing the embattled Yoon have continued to brave freezing temperatures to stage rallies on the streets around the presidential compound on Wednesday after a court re-issued a warrant to arrest Yoon earlier on Tuesday.

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) was seen this week fortifying the compound with barbed wire and barricades using buses to block access to the hillside villa where Yoon is believed to be, having defied summons to appear for questioning.

South Korea impeached President, Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a new and potentially more robust attempt to arrest him for insurrection after a top investigator vowed to do whatever it takes to break a security blockade and take in the impeached leader. He also faces an impeachment trial in the Constitutional Court.

One of Yoon’s lawyers in a statement on Wednesday, said, the president could not accept the execution of the arrest warrant because it was issued by a court in the wrong jurisdiction and the CIO had no authority to investigate the incumbent leader.

Yoon Kap-keun, the lawyer, also denied suggestions by some members of parliament that Yoon had fled the official residence, saying he had met the president there on Tuesday. He said they were “malicious” rumours intended to slander Yoon.

On Tuesday, Oh Dong-woon, head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is leading the investigation into Yoon, apologised for failing to arrest the president last week after a six-hour stand off with hundreds of PSS agents and military guards at the compound.

“We’ll do our best to accomplish our goal by thoroughly preparing this time with great determination that the second warrant execution will be the last,” Oh said during the parliament committee meeting.

At the Parliament Committee meeting, Oh refused to specify how many days the court had given before the new arrest warrant expired, citing a need to keep plans for the new attempt internal.

“Yoon’s home — a former foreign ministry residence — is nestled in Hannam-dong, an affluent Seoul neighbourhood along the Han River renowned for its luxurious homes, some of the country’s most expensive.

It is also popular with K-pop stars, reportedly including members of the megagroup BTS, and hosts many foreign embassies.

Situated in Yongsan district, which stationed colonial troops during Japanese rule and American troops after World War II, it now plays host to Yoon’s own legion”, according to AFP.