Why is it so hard to arrest an impeached president?

There were more than 100 police officers and they were armed, but the officers were South Korean failed to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol after being locked outside his house for six hours.

That’s how the fight against Yoon’s security team went on for a long time as they formed a wall of people and used vehicles to block the path of the arrested group, according to local media.

It has been an unprecedented month for South Korean politics. Mr. Yoon’s surprising but short-lived order was followed by a vote against him. Then came a criminal investigation, his refusal to be questioned and, earlier this week, an arrest warrant.

The right wing leader still has a strong support base. Thousands of people gathered outside his home on Friday morning to protest his arrest.

But, by most accounts, Yoon is now a disgraced leader who has been impeached by parliament and suspended from office, awaiting a constitutional court decision to remove him from office.

So why has it been so difficult for the police to catch him?

Although Yoon has been stripped of his presidential powers – after lawmakers voted to impeach him – he still has the right to comment on security matters.

And the men played a key role in preventing Friday’s arrest.

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) could have been loyal to Yoon or “misunderstood their legal and constitutional responsibilities,” said Mason Richey, an associate professor at Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Since Yoon has been suspended, PSS must follow instructions from President Choi Sang-mok. “Either he was not instructed by President Choi to stop, or he is refusing his orders,” said Assoc Prof Richey.

Some experts believe the officers are showing “unwavering loyalty” to Yoon, not the office. They also say that PSS chief Park Jong-joon was appointed to work with Yoon last September.

“It may be that Mr. Yoon has provided the organization with loyal and courageous people in planning this,” said lawyer and Korea expert Christopher Jumin Lee.

And Parkyo’s predecessor was former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is accused of advising Yoon to impose martial law. He is currently being held for questioning as part of the investigation into Yoon’s crimes.

The “easy” option, Lee says, is for President Choi to order the PSS to stop at short notice.

“If he doesn’t want to do that, this could be grounds for suspending him by the National Assembly,” he said.

Choi, who is the finance minister, stepped in to lead the country after lawmakers voted to remove Yoon’s first successor, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

This political disagreement also reflects the divide in South Korean politics between those who support Yoon, and his idea of ​​imposing martial law, and those who oppose it. And the differences don’t end there.

Most South Koreans agree that Yoon’s Dec. 3 announcement was wrong and that he should be prosecuted, said Duyeon Kim, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, but they cannot agree on what. response looks like.

“Stakeholders disagree on policies, procedures and legal bases, which increases political uncertainty,” he explains.

This uncertainty is also creating tensions like the one that occurred on Friday inside and outside President Yoon’s residence, where his supporters have been camping for days, leading to clashes between people and police.

Law enforcement could return with more help and use force but “it would be very dangerous,” Assoc Prof Mason said.

The PSS is also heavily armed, so builders can look to avoid oversupply.

“What happens if the police find additional documents requesting the arrest of PSS, [the PSS] “They will flout the documents and then take out their guns?” Mr Lee asks.

Police are now investigating the PSS chief and his deputy for obstructing them – so there could be more charges and arrest warrants.

Yoon’s non-compliance with martial law is also a problem for the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is investigating him.

It has been in operation for only four years. This was done in response to public anger over former President Park Geun-hye who was impeached, removed from office and later imprisoned for corruption.

While South Korean presidents have been imprisoned before, Yoon is the first to be imprisoned before being released.

Investigators have until January 6 to arrest Yoon before the current warrant expires.

They can also try to arrest Yoon on the weekend, although the weekend can cause a lot of trouble if the group of followers grows. They can also apply for a new permit and try to detain him again.

Given how South Korea has reached uncharted territory, uncertainty will continue.

Additional reporting by Ewe Koh