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Police to take over efforts to detain impeached South Korean president

An arrest warrant was issued on December 31 after Mr Yoon failed to appear for questioning. (AP: South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap)

In short

South Korea's anti-corruption agency has requested police take over efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. 

It comes after investigators failed to bring him to custody last week.

An arrest warrant was issued on December 31 after Mr Yoon failed to appear for questioning.

South Korea's anti-corruption agency has requested police take over efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after its investigators failed to bring him to custody.

Last week, authorities were unable to detain the country's impeached president after an almost 5-hour stand-off with Seoul's presidential security service.

The agency and police confirmed the discussion on Monday, hours before the one-week warrant for Mr Yoon's detention was to expire.

Police to take over efforts to detain impeached South Korean president

Pro-Yoon protesters rallied throughout the night in support of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol near his residence. (Reuters: Tyrone Siu)

The move comes amid frustration among Mr Yoon's critics about the Corruption Investigation Office's (CIO) failure to arrest the president.

South Korean investigators trying to arrest Mr Yoon said they would seek an extension to an arrest warrant. 

"We plan to request an extension from the court today, which requires stating the reasons for exceeding the standard seven-day period," CIO deputy director Lee Jae-seung said in a statement. 

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

South Korean investigators have one more day to arrest the president

Photo shows Two Koreans wearing red beanies hold big signs saying 'stop the steal' in giant red letters with an American flag above them

Police to take over efforts to detain impeached South Korean president

President Yoon Suk Yeol is waiting out the clock for his arrest, as protesters brave out the snow in the South Korean capital. 

The anti-corruption agency, which leads a joint investigation with police and military investigators, is weighing charges of rebellion after the conservative president declared martial law on December 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly.

Mr Yoon faces prison or potentially the death penalty if arrested after briefly suspending civilian rule and plunging South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

Police to take over efforts to detain impeached South Korean president

A wired fence stands at Mr Yoon's residence. (Reuters: Kim Hong-Ji)

South Korea's Constitutional Court has slated January 14 for the start of Mr Yoon's impeachment trial. If he does not attend, it will continue in his absence.

Blinken touches down in Seoul

As Mr Yoon waited out the arrest warrant, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Seoul for talks with several government officials, including acting president Choi Sang-mok.

Washington's top diplomat is not scheduled to meet Mr Yoon but will hold a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, who is not under threat of impeachment.

During his visit, Mr Blinken intends to highlight the expansion of US cooperation with South Korea as part of the Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy.

ABC/wires

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