Failure to arrest impeached South Korea president portends turmoil

It was a tumultuous end to 2024 for South Korea. On December 14, the country’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached over his short-lived declaration of martial law. Then, just two weeks later, South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach his replacement, Han Duck-soo, accusing him of colluding with his predecessor.

Yoon now faces the prospect of arrest – a first for a sitting president in South Korea – over insurrection charges after the Seoul Western District Court issued a warrant for his detention on December 31. However, an attempt by South Korean officials to arrest Yoon in his residence was abandoned on Friday morning following a tense six-hour standoff with the presidential security team.

The Corruption Investigation Office, which has been investigating Yoon’s martial law declaration, says it has “determined that the arrest is practically impossible.” It announced that it would discuss further action, but stopped short of saying whether it would attempt to detain Yoon again. The arrest warrant is valid until Monday, January 6.

The events of the past month have thrown South Korea into political chaos. Deep divisions have emerged between politicians loyal to Yoon and those looking to oust him. And public unrest is growing, with citizens split between support for Yoon’s detention and support for his presidency.

Yoon’s supporters, an estimated 1,200 of whom had gathered outside his residence while officials attempted to execute the arrest warrant, celebrated as the suspension was announced. The crowd broke out into song and dance and chanted: “We won!”

The crisis is, at the same time, damaging the country’s already fragile economy. The South Korean won has plunged to its lowest level against the US dollar in almost 16