After a dramatic six-hour long standoff with security officers, South Korean police called off an attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol yesterday.

The 150 officers involved found themselves helplessly outnumbered – first by the large number of pro-Yoon supporters who had gathered outside his residence before sunrise, and then by a human wall of security staff inside the property.

Police were trying to carry out an arrest warrant issued earlier this week after Yoon ignored three summonses for him to appear for questioning.

The politician is currently under investigation for abusing his power and inciting an insurrection when he tried to impose martial law in early December.

Dozens of police vans lined the street outside Yoon’s residence in central Seoul early yesterday, before the arrest team – made up of police officers and members of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) – began moving towards the building at about 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT).

The operation started out with a 20-strong team, but quickly multiplied to some 150 people. Even then, they were outnumbered.

While about half of the team was able to get inside, they were locked for hours in a standoff with presidential security officers – who are still responsible for protecting Yoon, despite him being stripped of his powers – and a military unit responsible for protecting the city of Seoul.

Leadership