SEOUL: Thousands of South Koreans braved a snowstorm on Sunday to rally in support or opposition of President Yoon Suk Yeol, suspended over a failed martial law bid and resisting arrest a day before the warrant expires. Yoon plunged the country into political chaos last month with the bungled martial law declaration and has since holed up in the presidential residence, surrounded by hundreds of loyal security officers. An attempt to arrest him by investigators failed when a tense six-hour standoff with his presidential security service ended over security fears, with his supporters also camped outside.
Thousands descended on his residence again on Sunday despite bitter snow conditions blanketing the capital -- with one camp demanding Yoon's arrest while the other called for his impeachment to be declared invalid. The rallies in the cold come as Yoon this week pledged to "fight" those trying to question his short-lived power grab.
Yoon faces criminal charges of insurrection, one of a few crimes not subject to presidential immunity, meaning he could be sentenced to prison or, at worst, the death penalty. If the warrant is executed, Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. A prosecutors' report for his former defence minister seen by AFP on Sunday showed Yoon ignored the objections of key cabinet ministers before his failed martial law bid. It said the country's then prime minister, foreign minister and finance minister all expressed reservations about the potential economic and diplomatic fallout in a cabinet meeting on the night of the decision.
The country's opposition Democratic Party called on Saturday for the dissolution of the security service protecting Yoon. Their announcement followed scenes of high drama on Friday, when hundreds of Yoon's guards and military troops shielded him from investigators who eventually called off the arrest attempt citing safety concerns.
On Sunday, presidential security service chief Park Jong-joon said he had no intention of letting the investigators arrest Yoon by Monday's deadline, because those under his charge were legally obliged to protect the country's sitting leader. "Executing an arrest warrant amid allegations of procedural and legal impropriety undermines the PSS's fundamental mission of securing the President's absolute safety," Park, who has denied a police request for questioning, said in a speech.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to arrive in Seoul, likely to wade into the crisis of a key security ally in talks with his counterpart Cho Tae-yul. Yoon's lawyers decried the warrant underpinning Friday's arrest attempt as "unlawful and invalid", and filed an objection to the Seoul court that issued it. But the court said on Sunday the objection case was dismissed, saying the reasons could not be disclosed.
Yoon's lawyer said they would file another complaint against the head of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) that tried to arrest Yoon. The president's legal team "intend to hold those who committed illegal acts strictly accountable under the law," Yoon Kab-keun said in a statement. The Constitutional Court slated January 14 for the start of Yoon's impeachment trial, which if he does not attend would continue in his absence. However, the suspended leader plans to appear at "an appropriate session" of the trial's five hearings, lawyer Yoon said on Sunday. South Korea's Constitutional Court has up to 180 days to determine whether to dismiss Yoon as president or restore his powers. Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye never appeared for their impeachment trials. — AFP
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