South Korea: investigators halt attempt to arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol

The investigation team halted its attempt Friday to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, accused of insurrection for imposing martial law, due to resistance from the security services guarding him.

"Regarding the execution of the arrest warrant today, it was determined that its execution was impossible in practice due to the ongoing confrontation. Concerns for the safety of personnel on site led to the decision to halt the execution," the Corruption Investigation Bureau said in a statement obtained by AFP.

A South Korean court approved an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and suspended from power in early December.

The move comes after the Asian country's law enforcement agencies sought a court order to detain the ousted Yoon Suk Yeol while investigations continue into whether or not the Dec. 3 martial law decree constituted a rebellion.

This is an unprecedented arrest warrant against a sitting president in South Korea. It further complicates the future of Yoon Suk Yeol, who has seen authorities already detain his defense minister, police chief and several military commanders involved in the attempt to enforce the martial law decree, which was unanimously lifted by Congress just hours after it went into effect.