Unprecedented Arrest Wreaks Havoc at Seoul Court as Supporters Clash with Police
In a historic turn of events, the Seoul Western District Court issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges of being the ringleader of a rebellion at approximately 2:59 AM on January 19, 2025. This unprecedented situation marked the first time a sitting president in South Korea faced arrest. Following the announcement, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the court, attempting to breach the premises, leading to violent confrontations with law enforcement. By 6:08 AM, police declared that order had been restored in the area after a chaotic three-hour standoff.
The court's decision came after Judge Cha Eun-kyung approved the warrant issued by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. As news spread, a large crowd of demonstrators attempted to storm the court, resulting in assaults on police officers and journalists present at the scene. Some individuals even attempted to scale the court's walls.
At around 3:21 AM, those who managed to break through police lines unleashed fire extinguishers inside the court and vandalized property, including shattering glass doors and windows. They also removed the court's sign, chanting President Yoon's name and demanding the presiding judge's presence, issuing threats against her.
In response, police deployed riot control units at 3:32 AM, but the demonstrators resisted fiercely, using fire extinguishers as weapons and commandeering motorcycles parked in the court's lot to create barricades.
By 3:55 AM, police issued warnings regarding unlawful assembly and property invasion, urging the crowd to disperse. A large-scale operation commenced at 4:00 AM, pushing the protesters back towards the rear of the court. However, the situation escalated again as the crowd attempted to re-enter the building, throwing broken tiles at officers, resulting in injuries.
After several attempts to regain control, police successfully pushed the remaining protesters out by 5:34 AM, with some individuals lying on the ground in defiance. By 6:08 AM, authorities announced that order had been fully restored, and approximately 40 individuals were arrested for their involvement in the riot. A dedicated investigation team was established to handle the fallout from the incident.
