Impeached South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol has finally been arrested today over his failed martial law bid, putting an end to weeks-long standoff with authorities and becoming the first president to be detained in the nation’s history.
The former prosecutor who led the conservative People Power Party (PPP) to election victory in 2022, could face the death penalty or life in jail if he is found guilty of insurrection.
Recall that, he had sought to evade arrest for weeks by remaining in his residential compound, protected by members of the Presidential Security Service (PSS) who had remained loyal to him.
His guards had installed barbed wire and barricades at the residence, turning it into what the opposition called a “fortress”.
However, before dawn today, hundreds of police officers and investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office surrounded his residence, some scaling perimeter walls and hiking up back trails to reach the main building.
After a standoff of about five hours, authorities announced Yoon had been arrested and the impeached leader released a pre-recorded video message.
