South Korea's Anti-Corruption Agency Moves to Arrest Impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol

On Monday, South Korea's Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) announced that it has entrusted the police with the authority to execute the arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. This decision came after the CIO sent an official document to the National Office of Investigation (NOI) on Sunday, allowing them to determine how to proceed with the warrant's execution.

The investigation into Yoon's declaration of martial law was carried out jointly by the CIO and the NOI, alongside the defense ministry's investigation arm. Earlier in January, attempts were made to arrest Yoon at the presidential residence; however, the effort was thwarted by the presidential security service, which prevented the execution of a warrant issued by a Seoul court. This warrant was effective for a week and was set to expire on Monday.

The National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against Yoon on December 14, 2022, sending it to the constitutional court, which has up to 180 days to reach a decision, effectively suspending Yoon's power as president. During this political upheaval, Yoon was identified by investigative authorities as the alleged instigator behind an insurrection charge related to his brief declaration of martial law on December 3, which the National Assembly quickly annulled.