Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour. https://www.ft.com/content/fd87d24c-d13a-4d64-90be-0cc23c47be13 MENU Financial Times Sign In South Korea Politics & PolicyAdd to myFT South Korean officials abandon bid to arrest impeached president after stand-off Yoon Suk Yeol faces probe into alleged treason and abuse of power over failed attempt to impose martial law Police officers outside the residence of President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, where investigators had attempted to arrest him on Friday © Lee Jin-man/AP South Korean officials abandon bid to arrest impeached president after stand-off on x (opens in a new window) South Korean officials abandon bid to arrest impeached president after stand-off on facebook (opens in a new window) South Korean officials abandon bid to arrest impeached president after stand-off on linkedin (opens in a new window) South Korean officials abandon bid to arrest impeached president after stand-off on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save Song Jung-a in Seoul 20 MINUTES AGO 33 Print this page Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. South Korean investigators have abandoned their attempt to arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol after an hours-long stand off at his residence in Seoul. They had sought his arrest as part of a probe into alleged treason and abuse of power after his failed bid last month to impose martial law. Investigators from the independent anti-corruption agency and police officers had passed a military unit guarding Yoon’s compound in central Seoul early on Friday. But the head of the Presidential Security Service did not allow them to search Yoon’s residence. “It is impossible to execute the arrest warrant because of the continued stand-off, so we’ve stopped the execution, being worried about the safety of our investigators at the scene,” the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said on Friday. “We express grave regret over the defendant’s attitude that did not co-operate with legal proceedings. We will decide next steps after reviewing [the situation].” Yoon’s lawyers called the arrest attempt “illegal and invalid” and said they would take legal action against the move. Hundreds of Yoon’s supporters rallied outside his residence, shouting “impeachment invalid” and “protect Yoon”. If arrested, Yoon would be the first incumbent South Korean president to be detained. Yoon unleashed an acute political crisis in South Korea with his failed effort to impose martial law. He was impeached by parliament last month, but the move has to be approved by the country’s Constitutional Court. The anti-corruption agency wants to question Yoon over possible insurrection after he allegedly dispatched troops to the National Assembly in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from rejecting his shortlived martial law decree. A court issued the arrest warrant this week after Yoon refused to answer repeated summons for questioning. The warrant expires on Monday. If arrested, he will be questioned by investigators and stay at a detention centre for two days before the anti-corruption agency either releases him or charges him for treason. PLAY | 00:29 Show video description Police vehicles move towards impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol's residence as arrest nears © Reuters The main opposition party said Yoon’s attempt to avoid arrest was tantamount to “a second attempt at insurrection” and urged acting president Choi Sang-mok to order Yoon’s security forces chief to co-operate with investigators. The “law should apply equally to everyone”, said Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic party. “Not all people should be sacrificed because of someone’s egotism or a group’s special interests.” Under South Korea’s constitution, the president is immune from criminal prosecution, except when facing allegations of rebellion or treason. The Constitutional Court’s eight sitting justices will hold a second hearing on Friday on whether to remove Yoon from office. The court has until June to reach a verdict, though this deadline can be extended. A minimum six votes are required to approve Yoon’s impeachment. If he is removed from office, a presidential election must be held within 60 days. The political turmoil has weighed on South Korea’s economy, which is facing the prospect of higher US tariffs from Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. The government on Thursday revised down this year’s growth forecast to 1.8 per cent from 2.2 per cent and is considering drawing up an extra budget to boost sluggish domestic consumption.