Rival camps protest in South Korea as authorities push for Yoon’s arrest | Political Affairs

Prosecutors are asking the acting president to order the security forces to comply with the arrest warrant for deposed leader Yoon.

Thousands of South Korean protesters rallying against ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol staged rival rallies in Seoul, a day after authorities failed to issue an arrest warrant for the suspended leader over his temporary declaration of martial law last month.

Protesters clashed outside the presidential palace and on major streets in the South Korean capital on Saturday to demand Yoon’s arrest or have his case dismissed as illegal.

The widening political divide comes as Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) investigators pressured acting President Choi Sang-mok to order the presidential security service to comply with a warrant for Yoon’s arrest.

On Friday, the president’s security forces and the military prevented prosecutors from arresting Yoon during a six-hour standoff inside the ousted president’s compound. The investigators finally called off the arrest efforts, complaining about security.

The altercation – which reportedly involved shoving, but no shots were fired – left a warrant out for the shooting, and the court order is set to expire on Monday.

Yoon’s announcement on December 3 shocked South Korea and led to the issuance of the first arrest warrant for a sitting president, as well as a political crisis.

Yoon faces charges of treason, one of the few crimes not subject to presidential immunity, meaning he could be sentenced to prison or, at worst, the death penalty.

His lawyers condemned Friday’s arrest attempt as “illegal and illegal” and said they would take legal action.

Also on Saturday, police asked Park Chong-jun, the head of the presidential security unit that protects Yoon, to appear for questioning on Tuesday, Yonhap News reported.

Al Jazeera’s Patrick Fok, reporting from Seoul, said Saturday’s protests were peaceful and orderly.

“That has been significant in many ways, but the feeling of frustration among the people against President Yoon is undoubtedly growing,” he said.

“And you wonder how long these gatherings can remain peaceful if the situation continues as it is.”

Yoon’s supporter Kim Chul-hong, 60, said the ousted president’s arrest could affect South Korea’s security ties with the US and Japan.

“Protecting President Yoon means protecting our country’s security from threats from North Korea,” he told AFP.

Meanwhile, members of the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions, the largest trade union in South Korea, tried to march to Yoon’s residence to protest but were stopped by the police.

The union said two of its members were arrested and others were injured during clashes with the police on Saturday.

Investigators may file another request to arrest Yoon before the court’s decision expires on Monday. If the warrant expires, investigators can apply for another warrant.

The Constitutional Court decided on January 14 to start the trial of Yoon, which will continue in his absence if he does not appear.