Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been arrested over his December announcement of martial law after a tense standoff in Seoul. Hundreds of police and anti-corruption officers circled Yoon's presidential residence before he surrendered to authorities for questioning.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00A police convoy escorts South Korean President Yoon Suk-kyo from the presidential palace
00:05in Seoul, arrested after an hours-long standoff at the compound.
00:10Facing criminal investigation for abuse of power and insurrection over his short-lived
00:14martial law decree in December, an arrest warrant was issued for the embattled leader
00:19after he previously failed to appear for questioning.
00:22Yoon says he agreed to it now to avert violence.
00:48Hundreds of police and anti-corruption officers surrounded the presidential palace, where
00:53Yoon had been holed up for weeks.
00:56The officers attempted various ways to enter the compound, even at one point using ladders,
01:02before Yoon surrendered.
01:05Clashing with police, thousands of Yoon supporters gathered outside the official residence, forming
01:10a human chain to attempt to block the arrest warrant's execution.
01:14Also inside, anti-Yoon protesters.
01:45A previous attempt to detain Yoon was foiled after a six-hour standoff with presidential
01:50security guards vowing to protect him.
01:54The conservative Yoon won a tightly contested election in 2022 on a promise to tackle class
01:59inequality.
02:00But faced with an opposition-controlled parliament, he tried to break the political deadlock with
02:04martial law, claiming the country was under heightened threat from North Korea.
02:09He had previously refused to speak to prosecutors about his actions, seeing the exercise as
02:14politically motivated.
02:17Now in custody, Yoon will have to deal with the consequences of an official investigation.
02:35Yoon is also awaiting the decision of South Korea's constitutional court.
02:39They are deliberating whether to uphold his impeachment.
02:43Suspended from the presidency, Yoon is being questioned at the Corruption Investigation
02:47Office.
02:48For many South Koreans, the first step to restoring order to a country plunged into
02:53political turmoil due to its leader's actions.
02:57James Lin and Rosie Greninger for Taiwan Plus.