Son of Korea anti-graft investigators were waiting on Tuesday ( Jan.7 ) for a new court-ordered arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose failed martial law attempt threw the nation into discord.
The former top prosecutor has refused to answer questions three days over a failed military law edict that was issued last month, and is stranded inside his home surrounded by hundreds of security personnel who are preventing his arrest.
Yoon is still confined to his home surrounded by hundreds of guards as anti-graft officials attempt to obtain a fresh warrant from the court that issued the first order.
The Joint Investigation Headquarters stated in a statement that” the arrest warrant re-requested for the assume Yoon was issued today in the day.”
Seoul Western District Court disputed confirmation when contacted by AFP.
The Corruption Investigation Office ( CIO ), which is overseeing the president’s investigation, has kept the length of the second warrant a secret since the initial seven-day warrant expired at the end of Monday.
Yoon would become the first South Korean president to remain detained if his arrest is successful.
However, they would only have 48 time to either obtain a new arrest warrant or be forced to relieve him.
Later on Tuesday, Yoon’s constitutional team did not respond to a request for comment right away.
However, Yoon supporters said they would fall on his Seoul residence to march around the dismissed leader after news of the new warrant emerged.
” We really learned that the judge issued the new permit. We are currently traveling to Yoon’s home. Those living in the countryside may join us in the first dawn as well”, Rhee Kang-san, 35, told AFP.
Lawmaker from the opposition group, Youn Kun-young, claimed guards were installing barbed wire and auto barriers, calling Yoon’s residence “turning into a fortress.”
LIABILITY
The anti-graft officials have requested more time and assistance because of the challenges they have encountered, including being met by hundreds of safety makes when they entered Yoon’s presidential mansion on Friday.
Yoon is being investigated on charges of rebellion and, if officially arrested and convicted, faces jail or, at worst, the death penalty.
His attorneys have consistently argued that the initial warrant was unlawful and have vowed to pursue legal action against it in the future.
Because rebellion is not included in the list of crimes it can look into, they claim that the CIO lacks the authority to conduct an investigation.
Regardless of the outcome of Yoon’s case, South Korea has found itself in unknown country: its sitting senator will either be detained or he will have evaded court-ordered confinement.
Authorities said the chances of Yoon’s imprisonment were rising.
” I assume that the imprisonment does occur. A number of liberal politicians have already disapproved of Yoon, calling him” an asset rather than a liability” according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Asian studies at the University of Oslo.
Those who oppose Yoon are now more confident that he will be brought to justice because of the novel permit.
” We did all unite in this conflict. I really hope for Yoon’s arrest”, said Bae Hoon, 46, who had stayed in front of Yoon’s home for two nights in windy conditions.