South Korean police book impeached president for obstructing execution of his arrest warrant

Yoon Suk Yeol is suspected of using presidential security service to block his arrest over failed attempt to impose martial law

A protester wearing a mask of South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol attends a rally calling for him to step down in Seoul on Wednesday (AP)

South Korean police have booked impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol for obstructing the execution of a warrant issued for his arrest over a failed attempt to impose martial law late last year.

The police were attempting to formally build a case against Mr Yoon on the suspicion that he had blocked the execution of the warrant since around 3 January, a spokesperson said.

He was suspected of using the presidential security service to block his arrest, state news agency Yonhap reported on Friday. His security guards had prevented investigators from arresting Mr Yoon last month, triggering a tense standoff.

Preventing the execution of an arrest warrant is a crime punishable by up to five years in jail.

The warrant against Mr Yoon was issued by the Seoul Western District Court at the request of the Corruption Investigation Office on 31 December and extended a week later.

Investigators launched a pre-dawn operation on 15 December to arrest Mr Yoon – their second attempt – triggering a nearly three-hour standoff between the president’s supporters and more than 3,000 police officers. Later the same day, hundreds of law enforcement officers stormed the presidential residence in Seoul and arrested Mr Yoon.

South Korean president Yoon attends his impeachment trial hearing on Wednesday (EPA)

Meanwhile, in his testimony to the Seoul court trying the impeached president for insurrection, ousted premier Han Duck Soo claimed on Thursday that he had “expressed my opposition” to Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law on 3 December 2024.

He and his fellow ministers “believed such a declaration would put South Korea in serious difficulty”, Mr Han claimed, and they were “concerned and trying to dissuade it”.

Mr Yoon walked out of the court five minutes after the proceedings started. His lawyer said it was inappropriate for the president to be in the same courtroom with Mr Han “or for the president to watch the prime minister testify”.

“It is not good for the nation’s prestige,” his lawyer quoted Mr Yoon as saying.

Prosecutors called for speedy proceedings considering the "gravity" of the matter, but Mr Yoon's lawyers said they needed time to review records.

Mr Yoon had "no intention to paralyse the country", one of his lawyers told the court, adding that the martial law decree was meant only to inform the public of the "legislative dictatorship of the huge opposition party".

The next hearing is set for 24 March.

Criminal investigations were launched against Mr Yoon after he shocked the world by imposing martial law last December. His martial law decree, the country’s first in 40 years, ended after just six hours when the National Assembly voted to withdraw it, despite attempts by armed soldiers to prevent lawmakers from assembling.

Mr Yoon subsequently became the first sitting South Korean president to be indicted on charges of leading an insurrection. He was then impeached by the National Assembly.