S Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol arrested over briefly imposing martial law

South Korean investigators have arrested the country’s impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol over accusations of insurrection for briefly imposing martial law.

The move was later overturned by the South Korea’s National Assembly.

“The Joint Investigation Headquarters executed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol today [January 15] at 10:33 am [01:30 GMT],” the authorities said.

Followed the arrest, a prerecorded video message was aired where Yoon said he had made the decision to submit to questioning over his failed martial law bid.

“I decided to respond to the Corruption Investigation Office,” Yoon said, adding that he did not accept the legality of the investigation but was complying “to prevent any unfortunate bloodshed”.

South Korean investigators and police used ladders to climb into Yoon’s residential compound after they were initially blocked by the Presidential Security Service.

Thousands of people, including supporters, had gathered outside Yoon’s home, while a group of lawmakers from the governing conservative People Power Party and Yoon’s lawyers had also attempted to resist the arrest inside the residential compound, local media reported.

After the arrest, Yoon’s presidential motorcade was seen leaving his hillside residence with police escorts.

A vehicle apparently carrying Yoon later arrived at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials in the nearby city of Gwacheon.

According to Al Jazeera, about 1,000 police officers were involved in the arrest operation.

The corruption investigation office can hold him for a maximum of 48 hours. They then need to decide, at that point, whether or not to apply for a warrant to detain the president, said an analyst.