Taking to the street: Supporters of Yoon attending a rally to oppose his impeachment near his residence in Seoul. — AP
Hundreds of supporters of South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol rallied outside his home in a bid to protect him as investigators prepared a fresh arrest attempt.
Yoon has refused questioning and resisted arrest after his bungled Dec 3 martial law decree plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.
Investigators secured a new arrest warrant on Tuesday after an initial seven-day order expired.
Several hundred members of his base rushed to the conservative leader’s house in central Seoul in response, braving sub-zero temperatures.
“A large number of people are coming out to join us. Despite the cold weather, many stayed up all night last night, braving the chill,” Lee Hye-sook, a 57-year-old Yoon supporter, said outside his residence yesterday.
“Witnessing their resilience against the wind and cold, I am confident that President Yoon Suk-yeol will return, and we will prevail.”
Some supporters left flowers outside and ribbons with the Trump-style slogan “Make Korea Great Again!”, while others waved American flags at the gates of the compound from where the suspended leader has resisted arrest.
You Se-ryung, a 46-year-old YouTuber camped outside, said key security ally the United States should intervene and “help” South Korea.
Many of Yoon’s supporters have adopted slogans used by US president-elect Donald Trump.
“Even if President Yoon Suk-yeol returns, whether or not the impeachment is overturned, I don’t think this issue can be resolved within South Korea. That’s why I brought out a Trump flag today,” he said.
Yoon’s legal team said yesterday he remains inside his residential compound, after investigators cast doubt on his whereabouts a day earlier.
“Last night, I personally visited the official residence, met the President there, and left,” said Yoon’s lawyer Yoon Kap-keun.
The Corruption Investigation Office, which is leading the probe into the President, has kept secret the duration of the second warrant it requested after an initial seven-day document expired on Monday.
Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested if investigators are able to detain him.
However, they would only have 48 hours to request another arrest warrant in order to keep him in detention or be forced to release him.
The impeached Yoon is being investigated on charges of “insurrection” and, if formally arrested and convicted, faces prison or, at worst, the death penalty.
The Constitutional Court has up to 180 days from Dec 14, when it received the case, to determine whether to dismiss Yoon or restore his presidential powers. — AFP
