The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is now executing an arrest warrant against suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law order.
Our political correspondent Lee Shi-hoo is on the line to tell us more.
Shi-hoo, what’s the latest?
Yes Dami, the anti-corruption agency is at the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu district in central Seoul.
It is executing the arrest warrant to investigate suspended president Yoon over his alleged insurrection and abuse of authority in his attempt to impose emergency martial law on December 3rd.
Members of the CIO and the police have entered the residence grounds, but are currently in a deadlock with the presidential security forces, who are blocking them from entering the residential building and reaching Yoon.
The CIO left its headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do province, south of Seoul, just after 6 this morning and arrived at Yoon’s residence at around 7:15.
The goal of the CIO is to arrest Yoon so they can investigate the scope and depth of his alleged unlawful involvement in the imposition of martial law.
They will investigate whether Yoon gave a direct order to the military to seize lawmakers at the National Assembly forcibly and to use gunfire in the process if necessary to prevent them from voting to block martial law.
They will also question Yoon on other allegations raised through additional testimonies, which hinted at Yoon’s alleged directions to the military to unlawfully collect evidence and arrest personnel from the National Election Commission’s office.
Yoon previously shared his reasoning for imposing martial law, saying it was to stop “anti-state forces and election corruption.”
Meanwhile, Yoon’s legal team argues that the warrant is “unlawful and invalid.”
And we hear there’s a large crowd outside the residence as well
On top of Yoon’s supporters who continued their overnight rally, more are making their way to the residence, right?
Yes, there are roughly 2-thousand 700-hundred police officers on standby outside the residence.
Since early this morning, they’ve set up buses and other barricades, to control the traffic and block pedestrian streets leading up to the residence to minimize potential confrontations, especially between the police and Yoon’s supporters.
A large group of Yoon’s supporters have been holding protest rallies outside the residence ever since the issuance of the arrest warrant by a Seoul court four days ago. President Yoon himself sent out a letter on Wednesday thanking them for their unwavering support.
The police estimated a crowd of roughly 5-hundred as of 5:40 this morning, but the number is expected to increase as the day goes on.
And what is the CIO’s plan moving forward?
What will be the next process in the investigation?
So the office plans to arrest Yoon, and then question him at its headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province.
After the investigation, they may detain Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center for up to 48 hours after the arrest.
To keep Yoon in further detention, an additional warrant must be issued.
Based on what the CIO finds through its investigation, it will decide whether to seek further detainment.
Since yesterday, the CIO has set up new space at its headquarters, assumed to be used for when its members escort Yoon into the building.
They’ve also prepared a room for a video-recorded investigation, but Yoon can reject recording if he wants to.
Thank you, Shi-hoo. Do keep us posted on further developments.
Source : Arirang TV, https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=279570
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