South Korea’s presidential security chief warns against aggressive efforts to arrest Yoon By Reuters

Written by Hyunjoo Jin and Jack Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s presidential security chief Yoon Suk Yeol said on Friday that the impeached leader, who faces arrest as a result of a criminal investigation into his request for martial law on 3 In December, he was held against the sitting leader and warned that bloodshed should be avoided. .

Park Chong-jun, head of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), is also being investigated for obstructing official work in connection with last week’s six-hour standoff between agents. a PSS and investigators trying to execute a warrant for Yoon’s arrest.

Arriving at police headquarters for questioning, Park, a former senior police officer, said the current efforts to arrest the sitting president were wrong and Yoon deserved the treatment of ” change” state of the country.

“I believe there should be no physical conflict or bloodshed under any circumstances,” Park told reporters, adding that former President Choi Sang-mok did not respond to a request for home of safety assurance for the relevant authorities.

Hundreds of PSS agents blocked the presidential palace and hindered investigators from trying to arrest Yoon last Friday. The searchers were turned back because of the risk of collision.

Officials of the Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO), which is leading the investigation, said that PSS agents were carrying guns when no weapons were drawn.

Investigators obtained a new arrest warrant this week after Yoon refused repeated summonses to appear for questioning.

On Thursday, Yoon’s lawyers said the arrest warrant was illegal and wrong.

Yoon is subject to another hearing by the Constitutional Court, which is reviewing his parliamentary impeachment on December 14 to decide whether to permanently remove him from office or reinstate him. His lawyers said Yoon will accept the decision.

As Yoon awaits his end, inside his hilltop compound, polls released this week showed a resurgence of support for his People Power Party (PPP) and calls for his removal. forever.

A Gallup Korea poll released Friday showed 64% of respondents backed Yoon’s removal from office, compared to 75% who favored it immediately after the declaration of martial law.

The PPP approval rate rose to 34%, the same level as in the pre-Dec. 3, in a survey of 1,004 people this week, up from 24% about a month ago.

Analysts say the prolonged uncertainty over Yoon’s future has not only emboldened his supporters but softened some critics who worry that the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, who himself faces criminal charges, is I became president.