An effigy of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen in a mock prison as protesters take part in a rally calling for Yoon's ouster in front of the Gwanghwamun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on December 21, 2024. Jung Yeon-je, AFP/File

An effigy of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen in a mock prison as protesters take part in a rally calling for Yoon's ouster in front of the Gwanghwamun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on December 21, 2024. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)

South Korea'

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736335597696AFP__20241221__36R29WN__v1__Preview__SkoreaPoliticsUnrest.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="An effigy of South Korea&#x27;s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen in a mock prison as protesters take part in a rally calling for Yoon&#x27;s ouster in front of the Gwanghwamun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on December 21, 2024. Jung Yeon-je, AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">An effigy of South Korea&#x27;s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is seen in a mock prison as protesters take part in a rally calling for Yoon&#x27;s ouster in front of the Gwanghwamun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on December 21, 2024. <em>Jung Yeon-je, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>SEOUL, South Korea -- Hundreds of supporters of South Korea&#x27;s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol rallied outside his residence Wednesday as investigators prepared a fresh attempt to arrest him.</p><p>Yoon has refused questioning and resisted arrest since his bungled December 3 martial law decree plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.</p><p>Investigators secured a new arrest warrant Tuesday after an initial seven-day order expired. Several hundred members of his base rushed to the presidential residence in central Seoul in response, braving sub-zero temperatures.</p><p>&quot;A large number of people are coming out to join us. Despite the cold weather, many stayed up all night last night, braving the chill,&quot; Lee Hye-sook, a 57-year-old Yoon supporter, told AFP outside the residence.</p><p>&quot;Witnessing their resilience against the wind and cold, I am confident that President Yoon Suk Yeol will return, and we will prevail.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/7/s-korea-investigators-get-new-warrant-to-arrest-president-yoon-2240">READ: S. Korea investigators get new warrant to arrest President Yoon</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/8/s-korea-s-impeached-president-yoon-holds-out-in-capital-fortress-1503">READ: S. Korea&#x27;s impeached President Yoon holds out in capital &#x27;fortress&#x27;</a></div><p>Some supporters left flowers outside and ribbons with the Trump-style slogan &quot;Make Korea Great Again&quot;, while others waved American flags at the gates of the compound from where the suspended leader has resisted arrest.</p><p>Despite a cold weather warning set for 9 pm (1200 GMT), the suspended president&#x27;s supporters were defiant, shouting &quot;impeachment is invalid&quot;.</p><p>Rival protesters calling for Yoon to be punished waved glowsticks -- commonly seen at K-pop concerts -- and held placards that read, &quot;Detain, arrest insurrectionist Yoon Suk Yeol&quot;.</p><p>Yoon&#x27;s legal team said on Wednesday he remains inside the residential compound, after investigators cast doubt a day earlier on his whereabouts.</p><p>&quot;Last night, I personally visited the official residence, met the president there, and left,&quot; said his lawyer Yoon Kap-keun, who is unrelated.</p><p>The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is leading the probe into the president, has kept secret the duration of the new warrant.</p><p>Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested if investigators are able to detain him.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/7/yoon-s-supporter-vows-to-protect-south-korea-s-impeached-president-1745">READ: Yoon&#x27;s supporter vows to protect South Korea’s impeached president</a></div><div><strong>- Barbed wire, barricades -</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABSvD3MJ0srEnxNU&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script><p>An AFP journalist saw Yoon&#x27;s guards walking behind rows of buses and locked entrance gates covered in barbed wire at the residential compound on Wednesday.</p><p>CIO chief Oh Dong-woon said on Tuesday the force would &quot;prepare thoroughly&quot; to make sure their second arrest attempt was successful.</p><p>Acting president Choi Sang-mok warned against violence in the event of another standoff.</p><p>&quot;Under no circumstances should there be any injuries to citizens or conflicts among government agencies. Please ensure every precaution is taken,&quot; Choi said in a meeting with officials.</p><p>South Korea&#x27;s Constitutional Court has slated January 14 for the start of Yoon&#x27;s impeachment trial, which would proceed in his absence if he does not attend.</p><p>His legal team said he planned to attend the trial at some stage and lawyer Yoon Kap-keun told reporters on Wednesday &quot;the President&#x27;s position... remains unchanged&quot;.</p><p>&quot;Of course, issues related to security and safety must be resolved in advance,&quot; he said.</p><p>National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik wrote on X it was distressing to watch Yoon mobilize force to stop his arrest because the &quot;whole world&quot; was watching.</p><p>Investigators are trying to work out how to tackle an expected wall of security after being stopped by hundreds of Presidential Security Service (PSS) guards last week.</p><p>&quot;The number of PSS personnel cannot be disclosed as it is confidential information,&quot; a service spokesperson told AFP.</p><p>On Wednesday the country&#x27;s parliament voted down two bills to investigate Yoon and his wife for different charges, failing to get the two-thirds majority they needed.</p><p>The impeached Yoon is being investigated on charges of &quot;insurrection&quot; and, if formally arrested and convicted, faces prison or, at worst, the death penalty.</p><p>The Constitutional Court has up to 180 days from December 14, when it received the case, to determine whether to dismiss Yoon or restore his presidential powers.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Hundreds of supporters of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol rallied outside his residence Wednesday as investigators prepared a fresh attempt to arrest him.</p>

Hundreds of supporters of South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol rallied outside his residence Wednesday as investigators prepared a fresh attempt to arrest him.

Hundreds rally for South Korea's Yoon as new arrest bid beckons | ABS-CBN

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Hundreds rally for South Korea's Yoon as new arrest bid beckons

Hundreds rally for South Korea's Yoon as new arrest bid beckons

Agence France-Presse,

Claire Lee,

Hieun Shin and Hailey Jo

Published Jan 08, 2025 07:36 PM PHT

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