---
title: "South Korean investigators arrest impeached President Yoon"
description: "SEOUL, Jan 15 (Reuters) - South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over insurrection accusations related to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, investigators said."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-15-south-korean-investigators-arrest-impeached-president-yoon/"
published: "2025-01-15T04:35:25"
updated: "2025-01-15T04:35:50"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 299
---

# South Korean investigators arrest impeached President Yoon

> SEOUL, Jan 15 (Reuters) - South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over insurrection accusations related to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, investigators said.

By Reuters · Published 15 January 2025, 06:35 SAST · Updated 15 January 2025, 06:35 SAST

## Key points
- In a dramatic twist worthy of a political thriller, South Korea's beleaguered President Yoon, facing a historic arrest warrant and potential impeachment, opted for a face-off with investigators to stave off chaos—because nothing says "I'm innocent" quite like a motorcade through a sea of tearful protesters and riot police.
- Yoon voluntarily submits to questioning to prevent violence amid police attempts to arrest him.
- He arrives at the anti-corruption agency as authorities investigate his martial law decree.
- Yoon's lawyers claim arrest attempts are illegal and aimed at public humiliation.
- The Constitutional Court is reviewing his impeachment, marking a historic political crisis in South Korea.

## Content

- Yoon says agreed to go with investigators to avoid 'bloodshed'
- Yoon arrives at anti-corruption agency offices
- Authorities probing insurrection after Yoon's martial law decree
- Yoon and his lawyers argue arrest attempts are illegal
- Constitutional Court separately deliberates on Yoon's impeachment

By Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park

Yoon's presidential motorcade left the hillside residence where he has been holed up for weeks behind barbed wire barriers and a small army of personal security, and later arrived at the offices of the anti-corruption agency heading the probe.

In a statement, Yoon said he submitted himself for questioning to avoid any violence after more than 3,000 police officers marched on his residence to arrest him from the early hours on Wednesday.

"When I saw them break into the security area using firefighting equipment today, I decided to respond to the CIO's investigation - despite it being an illegal investigation - to prevent unsavoury bloodshed," Yoon said in a statement.

Yoon's lawyers have argued attempts to detain Yoon are illegal and are designed to publicly humiliate him. The warrant investigators secured for his arrest is the first ever issued against an incumbent South Korean president.

As local news broadcasters reported that Yoon's detention may come soon, some minor scuffles broke out between tearful pro-Yoon protesters and police near the residence, according to a Reuters witness at the scene.

Yoon's declaration of martial law stunned South Koreans and plunged one of Asia's most vibrant democracies into an unprecedented period of political turmoil. Lawmakers voted to impeach him and remove him from duties on Dec. 14.

Separately, the Constitutional Court is deliberating over to uphold that impeachment and permanently remove him from office.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim, Joyce Lee, Ju-min Park and Cynthia KimWriting by John GeddieEditing by Ed Davies, Sandra Maler and Michael Perry)