Political tensions are bogging down in South Korea. Thousands of citizens demonstrated in the streets of Seoul on Saturday, a day after a failed attempt to arrest ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. The head of state is accused of “rebellion” for having attempted to impose martial law in early December.
Detractors and supporters gathered separately, on the avenues of the capital and in front of the president’s home, some demanding his arrest and others the annulment of his dismissal voted by the National Assembly.
Several injured during demonstrations
The largest South Korean union (KCTU) had undertaken a march towards the residence of Yoon Suk Yeol but was blocked by the police, reporting two members arrested and several injured. An arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol would be the first of a sitting head of state in the country’s history. He would officially remain the president while waiting for the Constitutional Court to confirm or refute his dismissal, adopted by the deputies on December 14.
Suspended from his functions since, cloistered at his home, the head of state is accused of having shaken the young South Korean democracy on the night of December 3 to 4 by proclaiming martial law by surprise. A coup which revived the painful memory of the military dictatorship.
The unpopular leader stripped of his powers is the target of several investigations, including one for “rebellion”, a crime theoretically punishable by death. On Friday, the investigators who centralized the investigations into him, despite having a warrant, were defeated by some 200 soldiers and presidential guards. They left empty-handed, under the eyes of hundreds of pro-Yoon supporters.
An impeachment trial against Yoon Suk Yeol
The Office of Investigation of Senior Corruption (CIO) has until Monday to execute the arrest warrant issued by the courts to force the president to answer questions about his attempt to impose martial law. Investigators will be able to request a new one if the first expires without being applied.
What next is coming next? The Constitutional Court set January 14 for the opening of the impeachment trial against Yoon Suk Yeol, which will continue even without him. The court must rule by mid-June. The president has so far rejected all summons linked to his coup and his guard has repeatedly obstructed searches, even though on warrant.