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South Korea investigators get second warrant to arrest Yoon

The Corruption Investigation Office which is leading the probe into the president, has kept secret the length of the second warrant it requested after an initial seven-day warrant expired.

AP

If investigators are able to detain Yoon, he would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. / Photo: AP

South Korean anti-graft investigators have secured a new court-ordered arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, whose failed martial law bid threw the country into turmoil.

The former star prosecutor has refused questioning three times after his bungled December 3 martial law decree plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

As anti-graft officials and police got a fresh warrant Tuesday from the same court that issued the first order, Yoon was believed to be holed up in his residence surrounded by hundreds of guards preventing his detention.

"The arrest warrant re-requested for the suspect Yoon was issued today in the afternoon," the Joint Investigation Headquarters said in a statement.

Seoul Western District Court declined to confirm when contacted by AFP.

Martial law debacle: South Korea's Yoon faces impeachment

Length of new order: A secret

The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is leading the probe into the president, has kept secret the length of the second warrant it requested after an initial seven-day warrant expired at the end of Monday.

If investigators are able to detain Yoon, he would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

But they would only have 48 hours to either request another arrest warrant, in order to keep him in detention, or be forced to release him.

Yoon's legal team did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Tuesday.

But after news of the fresh warrant broke, Yoon supporters said they would descend on his residence in the capital Seoul to rally around the impeached leader.

The anti-graft officials have sought more time and help because of the difficulties they have faced, including being met by hundreds of security forces when they entered Yoon's presidential residence on Friday.

The new warrant has left those opposed to Yoon more positive that he will be brought to justice.

CIO chief Oh Dong-woon apologised on Tuesday for the failed first arrest attempt, saying he was "heartbroken".

He also said he was unsure if Yoon was still inside the presidential residence.