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South Korean court issues warrants to detain impeached President Yoon and search his office

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South Korean court issues warrants to detain impeached President Yoon and search his office
News

News

South Korean court issues warrants to detain impeached President Yoon and search his office

2024-12-31 18:59 Last Updated At:19:00

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court issued warrants Tuesday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and search his office and residence over allegations of rebellion in connection with his short-lived declaration of martial law.

It's the first time a warrant has been issued to detain a sitting South Korean president. But experts say there is little chance of detention or searches unless Yoon is formally removed from office.

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Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

FILE - Members of civic groups shout slogans during a news conference demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 17, 2024. The letters read "Immediately arrest Yoon Suk Yeol." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - Members of civic groups shout slogans during a news conference demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 17, 2024. The letters read "Immediately arrest Yoon Suk Yeol." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - In this photo released by South Korean President Office via Yonhap, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 14, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo released by South Korean President Office via Yonhap, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 14, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP, File)

The Seoul Western District Court issued warrants to detain Yoon and to search the presidential office and residence in central Seoul, according to a statement from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities.

The agency says it's been investigating whether Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration amounted to rebellion.

Under South Korean law, the leader of a rebellion can face the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted. Yoon has presidential immunity from most criminal prosecutions, but the privilege does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.

Yoon's powers have been suspended since the opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14 over his imposition of martial law, during which hundreds of troops and police officers were deployed at the assembly. By law, a president in South Korea is allowed to declare martial law only during wartime or similar emergencies and has no right to suspend parliament’s operations even under martial law.

Yoon has argued his decree was a legitimate act of governance, calling it a warning to the main liberal opposition Democratic Party — which he has called “a monster” and “anti-state forces” — that has used its legislative majority to impeach top officials, undermine the government’s budget, and which he claims sympathizes with North Korea.

The Constitutional Court is to determine whether to dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him.

Experts said Yoon is likely to ignore the warrants. He's already dodged repeated requests by investigative authorities to appear for questioning, and the presidential security service has blocked attempts to search his office and residence citing a law that bans raids on sites with state secrets.

Yoon Kap-keun, a lawyer for the president, called the detainment warrant “invalid" and “illegal," saying the anti-corruption agency lacks legal authority to investigate rebellion charges. The presidential security service said it will provide security to Yoon in accordance with the law.

The anti-corruption agency said it has no immediate plans on when it would proceed with the warrants.

“Unless Yoon voluntarily lets them detain him, there is no way to detain him,” said Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership. “Should investigators have hand-to-hand fights with the security service?”

Choi said that investigators were still likely to visit Yoon’s residence to show they are strictly and fairly carrying out their work.

Park Sung-min, president of Seoul-based political consulting firm MIN Consulting, said the push for an arrest warrant is likely an attempt to pressure Yoon to cooperate with investigations.

Former President Park Geun-hye, who was thrown out of office in 2017 following an impeachment over a corruption scandal, also refused to meet with prosecutors while in office. She underwent questioning by them and was arrested after the Constitutional Court removed her from office.

Yoon's imposition of martial law lasted only six hours but triggered huge political turmoil, halting high-level diplomacy and rattling financial markets. Despite Yoon's deployment of troops and police, enough lawmakers managed to enter the assembly chamber to overturn it unanimously.

Yoon's defense minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the martial law enactment.

Yoon has claimed he wasn't trying to stop the functioning of the assembly, saying that the troops were sent to maintain order, and also denied planning to arrest politicians. But comments by now-arrested commanders of military units sent to the assembly have contradicted this claim.

Kwak Jong-keun, the commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, testified at the National Assembly that Yoon called on troops to “quickly knock down the door and drag out the lawmakers who are inside." Kwak said he did not carry out Yoon’s orders.

The country's political crisis deepened last Friday, when the Democratic Party and other small opposition parties voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo as well over wrangling over his refusal to fill in three justice seats at the nine-member Constitutional Court. Observers say adding more justices could increase prospects for the court's endorsement of Yoon's impeachment as that requires support from at least six justices.

The deputy prime minister and finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, has become South Korea’s new interim leader. On Tuesday, Choi appointed two new justices, saying he feels the urgency to resolve political uncertainty and national divide.

Choi's moves drew rebukes from both the ruling and opposition parties. The governing People Power Party accused him of surrendering to the opposition’s political offensive, while the main liberal opposition Democratic Party urged Choi to quickly appoint the remaining ninth justice.

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment," and "Arrest Lee Jae-myung." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The letters read "Oppose Impeachment." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally after hearing a news that a court issued warrants to detain Yoon, near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

FILE - Members of civic groups shout slogans during a news conference demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 17, 2024. The letters read "Immediately arrest Yoon Suk Yeol." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - Members of civic groups shout slogans during a news conference demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 17, 2024. The letters read "Immediately arrest Yoon Suk Yeol." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - In this photo released by South Korean President Office via Yonhap, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 14, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo released by South Korean President Office via Yonhap, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 14, 2024. (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP, File)

HOUSTON (AP) — Wilmer Flores homered again and Luis Matos and LaMonte Wade Jr. also went deep to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

It’s the fourth home run this season for Flores, who hit just four in 71 games last season. He's tied with five others — Aaron Judge, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, Anthony Volpe and Tommy Edman — for the second most in the majors. Arizona's Eugenio Suárez leads the majors with five homers.

Flores got things going with his two-run shot to the seats in left field off Framber Valdez (1-1) with one out in the first. Matos made it 3-0 with his shot to center field to start the second.

Heliot Ramos doubled with one out in the inning to extend his streak with an extra-base hit to six games to start the season, tying Felipe Alou (1963) for the longest such streak in franchise history. The double drove in two runs to push the lead to 5-0.

Jeremy Peña walked and stole second base with two outs in the second before scoring on a single to center field by Zach Dezenzo to cut the lead to 5-1.

Valdez allowed four hits and five runs with nine strikeouts in five innings after throwing seven scoreless frames on opening day.

The Astros loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth to chase Landen Roupp. Randy Rodríguez (1-0) took over and Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run single to cut the lead to 5-3. But Rodríguez retired the next three batters, with two strikeouts, to limit the damage.

Roupp allowed four hits and three runs with eight strikeouts in four-plus innings. Camilo Doval pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.

Wade’s pinch-hit home run with one out in the eighth was his first hit after opening the season 0 for 16.

Rodríguez’s performance in the fifth in working out of the jam to keep the Giants on top.

It’s the first time the Giants have swept the Astros since August 28-30, 2012, in Houston’s last season in the National League.

The Giants are off Thursday before Justin Verlander (0-0, 3.60 ERA) starts their home opener against Seattle on Friday. Houston opens a series at Minnesota on Thursday with Hunter Brown (0-1, 3.00) on the mound.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts as he walked San Francisco Giants' Willy Adames during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts as he walked San Francisco Giants' Willy Adames during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores (41) rounds the bases after his two-run home run against Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores (41) rounds the bases after his two-run home run against Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos (17) celebrates his RBI double on second base during the second inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos (17) celebrates his RBI double on second base during the second inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros right fielder Zach Dezenzo (9) hits an RBI single against San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros right fielder Zach Dezenzo (9) hits an RBI single against San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts after striking out San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts after striking out San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) pitches to Houston Astros' Jose Altuve during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) pitches to Houston Astros' Jose Altuve during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores (41) rounds the bases after his two-run home run against Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores (41) rounds the bases after his two-run home run against Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

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