President Yoon Suk-yeol Arrested by Corruption Investigation Agency

On January 15, 2025, President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested by the High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Agency (공수처) after being identified as the primary responsible party in the 'December 3 Emergency Martial Law' incident. Following nearly 11 hours of questioning, he was detained at the Seoul Detention Center around 9:50 PM. This marks the first time in South Korean history that a sitting president has been arrested by an investigative agency, facing charges of insurrection and abuse of power, 43 days after the declaration of martial law.

The joint investigation team, comprising the 공수처 and police, executed the arrest warrant at 10:33 AM. They arrived at the president's residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan, at 4:10 AM and engaged in a standoff with Yoon's legal team and over 30 members of the People Power Party, who claimed the warrant was illegal. After cutting through barbed wire and overcoming barricades, the arrest was successfully made at 10:33 AM following two hours of negotiations.

Unlike the first attempt to execute the arrest warrant on January 3, there were no physical confrontations reported this time. A 공수처 official stated that there were no active resistances from the president's security staff. To ensure safety, approximately 3,200 police officers from 54 riot control units were deployed around the residence, where an estimated 9,000 supporters and opponents of Yoon gathered.

After leaving the residence, President Yoon arrived at the government building in Gwacheon, where the 공수처 is located, at 10:52 AM. He underwent questioning in a video-recorded interrogation room for 10 hours and 40 minutes, from 11 AM to 9:40 PM, but reportedly did not respond to any questions from the prosecutors. Following the interrogation, he refused to review or sign the records. Yoon's legal team announced that they would file a request for a review of the legality of the arrest warrant at the Seoul Central District Court, claiming it was invalid.