South Korea’s presidential security forces have demanded that the acting president execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday.
An attempt to arrest ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol at the presidential palace on Thursday was blocked by the presidential security forces, leading to a six-hour standoff with investigators. Another attempt on Friday was unsuccessful. About 200 soldiers and presidential security forces blocked the entrance, according to investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission.
A large crowd of supporters of the president and police clashed outside the presidential palace. The president, who declared martial law on December 3, 2024, is being sought after Yoon Suk Yeol failed to appear for questioning for an investigation into allegations of abuse of power and sedition.
In this context, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to South Korea today and meet with his South Korean counterpart on Monday. The US State Department said that Blinken will visit South Korea, Japan and France as part of his last trip before the end of his term.
Secretary Blinken is expected to discuss the South Korean-US alliance, South Korea-Japan and US cooperation, and the threat posed by North Korea, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said.
