South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials announced on Monday that it has formally requested cooperation from the defence ministry and the Presidential Security Service ahead of its second attempt to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk-Yeol.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the CIO dispatched official letters late Sunday urging both bodies to comply with the investigation, warning that failure to do so could result in legal consequences.
In the letter to the defence ministry, the CIO stated that any soldier obstructing the execution of arrest warrants or searches of the presidential residence could face criminal charges or claims for damages if human or material harm occurs.
A similar warning was issued to the Presidential Security Service. The CIO cautioned that any personnel hindering the investigation could face the loss of public servant status, restrictions on rehiring, and limitations on pension benefits.
However, the CIO reassured that security service employees who defy illegal orders to block the execution of warrants would not face penalties or disadvantages.
For weeks, President Yoon has remained barricaded within his hillside compound in the capital, Seoul, surrounded by his Presidential Security Service team. Outside the gates, hundreds of his die-hard conservative supporters have vowed to protect him from arrest.
Yoon has maintained that his declaration of martial law was legitimate and considers the arrest warrant “illegal and invalid.” He has repeatedly told his supporters that he will “fight until the end.”
Supporters are concerned that Yoon may be detained if he leaves his residence to attend impeachment hearings. Meanwhile, rival protesters have braved freezing conditions to demand his arrest.