South Korean authorities fail to arrest impeached President Yoon due to security stand-off

South Korean authorities failed to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday (January 3) over his martial law declaration, after evading a crowd of protesters outside his compound but coming to a standoff with presidential security forces inside.

Officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is leading a joint team of investigators into Yoon's brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, arrived at the gates of the presidential compound shortly after 7 a.m. (2200 GMT Thursday) and entered on foot. 

Once inside the compound, the CIO and accompanying police faced cordons of Presidential Security Service (PSS) personnel, as well as military troops seconded to presidential security, media reported. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said the troops were under the control of the PSS.

The CIO called off the effort to arrest Yoon around 1:30 p.m. due to concerns over the safety of its personnel due to obstruction, and said it "deeply regretted" Yoon's attitude of non-compliance.

—Reuters