Seoul: Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol stated on Wednesday that he chose to appear for questioning to prevent potential "bloodshed" between law enforcement and his security team, despite considering the investigation against him to be "illegal". The embattled president made this announcement before heading to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) headquarters in Gwacheon, located south of Seoul. The visit was prompted by the execution of a warrant for his detention over his brief imposition of martial law.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon communicated his decision in a video message recorded at his Yongsan residence in central Seoul. He emphasized his willingness to avoid unnecessary violence, stating, "To prevent an unfortunate and violent incident, I decided to appear before the CIO even though I believe the investigation is illegal."
The arrest marks a historic moment, as Yoon becomes the first sitting president to be detained on charges of leading an insurrection. He has expressed his dissatisfaction with the process, criticizing the "illegal and invalid" procedures surrounding the issuance of the arrest warrant. "The rule of law has completely collapsed in this country," Yoon remarked, adding his hope that future citizens will not endure similar injustices in criminal cases.
Yoon's detention occurred approximately three hours after a substantial number of law enforcement officers entered his residential compound. This marked their second attempt to execute the arrest warrant, the first having failed on January 3, and this time met with minimal resistance from the presidential security officials.
In response to the unfolding events, the presidential office announced that Yoon's chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk, would convene an emergency meeting with senior aides to deliberate on the administration's response to Yoon's arrest.