S. Korea’s Yoon to respect the court’s ruling, even if it results in the termination of his presidency

Yoon Kab-keun, the legal representative for Yoon, stated during a news conference that if the decision reached is for ‘removal’, it must be accepted, according to a report from Reuters.

Decisions made by the court, which ranks alongside the Supreme Court as one of the nation’s two highest judicial bodies, are not subject to appeal.

Previously, Yoon did not comply with requests from the Constitutional Court to provide legal briefs prior to the commencement of hearings on December 27. However, his legal representatives have indicated his readiness to personally attend the proceedings to present his arguments.

The embattled president, currently under suspension, has ignored multiple summonses related to an independent criminal probe. This investigation centers on accusations that he orchestrated an insurrection following his December 3 declaration of martial law. This move has resulted in the unprecedented issuance of an arrest warrant against a sitting head of state.

According to the president’s legal representative, President Yoon is presently at his official residence in Seoul and is reported to be in good health.

Presidential security personnel successfully thwarted an initial attempt to detain Yoon last week. However, a renewed effort is on the horizon, as a leading investigator has pledged to employ all necessary measures to dismantle the security barricade and apprehend Yoon.

Seok Dong-hyeon, a legal advisor to Yoon, expressed that Yoon perceives the efforts to detain him as politically driven, intending to publicly humiliate him by showing him in handcuffs. He referenced media coverage suggesting that police have considered using armored vehicles and helicopters to insert special units into the presidential premises to facilitate Yoon’s arrest.

Seok stated that Yoon and his advisory team perceive the developing scenario as an ideological battle, pitting advocates of free democracy against its opponents.

Seok warned that any significant misstep could potentially lead to a civil war.

Yoon has announced the implementation of martial law as a measure to eliminate “anti-state” elements that were disrupting governmental operations and posing a threat to democratic processes.

On Tuesday, the Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is spearheading the inquiry, issued an apology for the inability to detain Yoon following a confrontation with hundreds of agents from the Presidential Security Service (PSS) and military personnel, some of whom were reportedly armed.

Oh did not oppose calls from members of parliament for decisive measures to enhance security around Yoon. However, he refrained from elaborating on the specific options being evaluated.

Attorney Yoon asserted that the arrest warrant for the president was unlawful, arguing that it was issued by a court lacking proper jurisdiction and that the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) did not possess the authority to investigate a sitting president on charges of insurrection. Yoon emphasized that if there were sufficient evidence, prosecutors should formally indict him or seek a valid detention warrant, pledging full cooperation in such circumstances.

In recent days, despite severe cold snaps, hundreds of demonstrators have gathered outside the residence of Yoon, with factions both in favor of him and those demanding his arrest. However, on Thursday, the frigid conditions intensified as temperatures plummeted to below minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), marking the coldest day recorded this winter and resulting in a decreased turnout.

Attorney Yoon reported that the president expressed concern for the welfare of his supporters who were gathered in protest outside his residence.

“The current cold weather conditions are expected to persist in the coming days, with no immediate signs of improvement. Amid these challenging circumstances, efforts by certain groups have been ongoing throughout the day and into the night, prompting the president to express deep gratitude and regret for their continued dedication,” the lawyer stated.