President Yoon is already banned from foreign travel as part of an “insurrection” probe into his inner circle over the dramatic events of Dec 3-4 that stunned South Korea’s allies.
A special investigation unit of South Korea’s police said earlier on Dec 11 that it raided the presidential office, as well as the national police agency, the Seoul metropolitan police agency and the national assembly security service.
But, a spokesman later said investigators “gained access to its civil services office. However, we are currently unable to enter the main building due to access restrictions imposed by the presidential security guards”.
Prison authorities, meanwhile, said the country’s former defence minister tried to kill himself shortly before his formal arrest over the events of the night of Dec 3.
The extraordinary drama saw troops and helicopters sent to Parliament in an apparent – but failed – attempt to prevent lawmakers from voting down President Yoon’s martial law declaration.
The deeply unpopular president is already under a travel ban as part of an “insurrection” probe into his inner circle.
He was not at the presidential office compound during the raid, news agency Yonhap said. His official residence is at a separate location. He has not been seen in public since apologising on Dec 7 for his attempt to place the nation under martial rule.
Former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun was formally arrested late on Dec 10 on charges of “engaging in critical duties during an insurrection” and “abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights”.
He tried to kill himself shortly before he was formally arrested, the justice ministry and a prison official said. The attempt took place shortly before midnight on Dec 10 while in custody, the authorities said.
They added that he was in good health on Dec 11.
Kim was found by guards inside a detention centre attempting to kill himself, the justice ministry’s chief of correction services, Shin Yong-hae, told Parliament’s justice committee.
He was under observation, and his life was not currently in danger, Shin added.
A spokesman for the Seoul central district court said earlier in the day that Kim was arrested amid concerns that evidence might be destroyed.
He was arrested on charges of “engaging in critical duties during an insurrection” and “abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights”.
Kim said through his lawyers that “all responsibility for this situation lies solely with me”, and that subordinates were “merely following my orders and fulfilling their assigned duties”.
Kim, who was detained on Dec 8, had already been slapped with a travel ban along with the former interior minister and the general in charge of the martial law operation.
Cho Ji-ho, commissioner general of the Korean national police agency, and Kim Bong-sik, head of the Seoul metropolitan police agency, were also arrested early on Dec 11, the police said.
Fascist dictatorship
North Korean state media made its first comments on Dec 11 on what it called “chaos” in the South.
A commentary said: “The shocking incident of the puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing impeachment and a governance crisis, suddenly declaring a martial law decree and unhesitatingly wielding the guns and knives of its fascist dictatorship wrought chaos across South Korea.”
Yoon had said his declaration of martial law was intended, in part, to safeguard South Korea “from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness”.
Relations between the two Koreas have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles in violation of UN sanctions.
Former defence minister Kim was accused by opposition lawmakers of calling for strikes on sites from which North Korea was launching trash-carrying balloons, an order reportedly refused by his subordinates.
He also allegedly ordered drones sent to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang in an apparent attempt to provoke a conflict as a pretext for declaring martial law.
Task force
President Yoon survived an impeachment motion in Parliament on Dec 7 even as tens of thousands of South Koreans braved freezing temperatures outside to demand his ouster.
Further smaller protests have continued every evening since, with polls showing record-low public support for President Yoon.
A special task force within his People Power Party (PPP) on Dec 10 proposed a plan for the President to resign in February or March, followed by fresh elections in April or May.
But, the proposal has not yet been adopted by the party as a whole.
Even if it is approved, the roadmap is unlikely to head off another attempt by the opposition to impeach President Yoon on Dec 14.
The motion needs only eight members of the PPP to secure the necessary two-thirds majority.
Last week, two PPP lawmakers – Mr Ahn Cheol-soo and Ms Kim Yea-ji – voted in favour, and two more said on Dec 10 that they would support the motion this time.