South Korean President Detained after Dramatic Police Raid

What Happened?

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained by police yesterday after a dramatic police raid on the Presidential Palace.

Using ladders to climb over high walls and barricades, police entered the Presidential Palace despite the presence of the presidential security guards who offered no resistance. Mr. Yoon is now the first President in South Korean history to be arrested while in office.

The first time the presidential security detail prevented police from detaining the president in a tense standoff between two armed groups. This time, according to the Washington Post:

‘Some officers tried to enter the compound through a mountainside trail at the back of the residence, while others were seen carrying ladders and wire cutters. They used the ladders to scale barriers — including rows of parked buses — and enter the residential compound. The presidential security detail allowed them to enter.’

Fearing bloodshed, President Yoon had ordered his security detachment to stand down so police could proceed with the arrest, even though he still described the warrant as illegal. 

Why it Matters

‘This is a very important moment for maintaining order and the rule of law’ in South Korea, Choi Sang-mok, the acting president, said in a statement. ‘The eyes of the entire nation and the international community are watching this situation.’

The arrest of President Yoon is part of an ongoing political crisis in South Korea, and it’s unlikely his detention will bring that predicament to an end. Mr. Yoon’s declaration of martial law without proper legal grounding initiated the crisis, which then escalated when South Korean lawmakers nullified his declaration and proceeded to impeach him.

After impeachment, lawmakers issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Yoon. Initially he ordered his presidential security guard to physically prevent him from being arrested. That confrontation brought South Korea to the brink of a violent confrontation between police and presidential security.

Protests for and against Mr. Yoon have taken place in Seoul during the past weeks, but so far none of those demonstrations have turned violent.

Under South Korean law, sitting Presidents have immunity from prosecution, except for insurrection or treason charges. Mr. Yoon is facing charges of treason and insurrection by South Korean lawmakers.

The country’s highest court is still deliberating over whether to uphold Mr. Yoon’s impeachment. South Korea’s political crisis is likely to continue until Mr. Yoon’s fate has been determined, and even if a large majority don’t accept that outcome as legitimate then the crisis could continue.

How it Affects You

The eruption of public anger at Mr. Yoon’s declaration of martial law suggests most South Koreans supports his impeachment and arrest.

The situation will be a test for South Korea’s democracy and its institutions with implications for democratic nations around the world.

South Korea is a key U.S. ally in the Pacific, and given China’s increasingly aggressive posture and North Korea’s over the top rhetoric, the outcome of the South Korean political crisis could impact the balance of power in East Asia.