New arrest warrant for South Korean president, close shaman also at risk

Today (January 7), a court in Seoul signed a second arrest warrant for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol after the first arrest warrant expired but could not be executed due to resistance from the presidential guard.

Aerial view of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's residence in Seoul

The Seoul Western District Court has reissued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol at the request of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) after the initial warrant expired on January 6.

The CIO attempted to execute the arrest warrant on January 3 but failed after presidential guards blocked investigators from entering President Yoon's residence in central Seoul.

"The arrest warrant was reissued this afternoon (January 7) for suspect Yoon," Yonhap News quoted the investigation agency's announcement.

South Korean president's security chief refuses to comply with arrest warrant

Since the South Korean National Assembly unanimously impeached President Yoon on December 27, 2024 for declaring martial law last month, he and first lady Kim Keon Hee have not left their residence in Hannam-dong, known as the Beverly Hills of Korea.

The mansion is heavily guarded by guards, with barbed wire fences and buses blocking the road.

Last week, the presidential office filed complaints against three TV stations and a YouTuber for allegedly filming illegally at the presidential palace, according to Reuters.

A few days after being impeached, President Yoon also quietly spent his 64th birthday here.

In another development, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office announced on January 7 that it has once again requested the court to sign an arrest warrant for a shaman believed to be close to President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.

The reason for the arrest of the shaman was to serve the investigation related to the accusation that the suspect had received illegal political campaign money about 7 years ago, according to The Korea Times . The court had rejected the prosecutor's office's previous request due to lack of evidence.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lenh-bat-moi-cho-tong-thong-han-quoc-phap-su-than-can-cung-co-nguy-co-185250107172329975.htm