South Korea's impeached President Yoon holds out in capital 'fortress'

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's residence transformed into fortress amid arrest attempts and political crisis.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's residence has been turned into a "fortress", with layers of barbed wire and vehicle blockades protecting the elusive leader.

Mr. Yoon avoided an arrest attempt last week after his bungled December 3 martial law decree plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades. The decree led to his suspension and impeachment.

The 64-year-old former prosecutor was at home when investigators carried out their failed attempt to arrest him last week and was still there until early this week, the Yonhap news agency, citing police, reported on Wednesday (January 8, 2025).

However, investigators say they are now unsure of his whereabouts as Mr. Yoon keeps them guessing behind a wall of protection even though a new warrant cleared the way for renewed efforts to arrest him.

"I am considering various possibilities," Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) chief Oh Dong-woon said on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) in response to a lawmaker who asked if Mr. Yoon had already fled.

Opposition lawmaker Youn Kun-young said on Tuesday Mr. Yoon's home was "turning into a fortress", with guards installing barbed wire and using buses as blockades before an anticipated second arrest attempt.

An AFP journalist saw Mr. Yoon's guards walking behind rows of buses on Wednesday (jJanuary 8 ,2025) and locked entrance gates covered in barbed wire at the residential compound.