S Korea Anti-Corruption Agency Asks Police to Take Over Efforts to Detain Yoon

Seoul: South Korea's anti-corruption agency has requested that police take over efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after its investigators failed to bring him to custody following an hours-long standoff with the presidential security service last week.

The agency and police confirmed the discussion on Monday, hours before the one-week warrant for Yoon's detention was to expire. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials will likely seek a new court warrant to extend the window for Yoon's detention, according to police.

The Seoul Western District Court had issued a warrant to detain Yoon on December 31, after he dodged several requests by investigators to appear for questioning.

The anti-corruption agency, which leads a joint investigation with police and military investigators, is weighing charges of rebellion after the conservative president, apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by a legislature dominated by the liberal opposition, declared martial law on December 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly.

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