- Hiding in the mansion
- Home of multiple known names
Hiding in the mansion
The residence of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is turned into a "fortress" where the former leader hides behind barbed wire and vehicle barriers.
Last week, Yoon evaded arrest attempts after the ill-fated martial law decree of 3 December plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades. The decree led to his removal from office and impeachment.
The 64-year-old former prosecutor was at home when investigators unsuccessfully tried to arrest him last week and was still there by early this week, the Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday, citing police.
But investigators say they are now unsure of his whereabouts, as Yoon hiding behind security barriers is keeping them guessing, even though a new warrant has been issued, paving the way for new efforts to arrest him.
"I am considering various options," Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) chief Oh Dong-woon said on Tuesday, responding to a lawmaker's question about whether Yoon had fled yet.
Opposition lawmaker Youn Kun-young said on Tuesday that Yoon's home is "turning into a fortress", while his guards are installing a barbed wire fence and using buses as barricades ahead of a planned second arrest attempt.
Home of multiple known names
On Wednesday, an AFP journalist saw Yoon's security guards walking behind bus queues and the locked barbed-wire entrance gate of the apartment complex.
Yoon's home, a former foreign ministry residence, is located in Hannam-dong, an upscale neighborhood along Seoul's Han River, famous for some of the most expensive houses in the country.
It is also home to K-pop stars, reportedly including members of the mega-group BTS and many foreign embassies.
The Yongsan district, which was home to colonial troops during Japanese rule and American soldiers after World War II, is now home to its own Yoono Legion.
Last week, investigators took a major step to apprehend the Yoon, only to be let in only to face vehicle blockades and a wall of security forces.
Around 200 presidential guard members joined hands to prevent them from approaching him and forced the investigators to withdraw.
According to the police, the ousted leader was inside at the time and vowed to "fight" alongside his supporters outside, watching them on a YouTube livestream.
Based on ELTA reports
