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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA —South Korean authorities are making a fresh effort to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, days after he evaded the first attempt to enforce a court-approved warrant with the protection of presidential security and military forces.
A team of investigators arrived before dawn Wednesday at the heavily fortified presidential compound in central Seoul. Yoon has been holed up there as he pushes against a government insurrection investigation related to his short-lived declaration of martial law.
Reports suggest authorities are prepared to use a much larger force - consisting of about 1,000 police officers - and more forceful tactics to detain Yoon than they did in their previous attempt nearly two weeks ago.
According to Yonhap News Agency, authorities are bracing for an operation that could last up to three days and may use loudspeakers for psychological warfare, as well as cranes and tow trucks to remove any barriers.
The presidential residence, which lies in a sprawling, hilly compound in the Hannam-dong neighborhood, has been fortified with extra barbed wire fencing and tightly packed buses and other vehicles that block the path to Yoon's residence.
Despite the predawn hour and subfreezing temperatures, police estimate that 6,500 Yoon supporters were gathered in the area early Wednesday.
For weeks, the large street outside the compound has been filled with protesters - mostly supporters of the embattled conservative president, who has vowed to "fight to the end."
According to Yonhap, some ruling party lawmakers formed a human chain early Wednesday outside the main entrance of Yoon's residence to prevent his detention.
If Yoon is detained, authorities would have 48 hours to decide whether to file for a formal arrest warrant or release him. It would be the first time a sitting South Korean president has been taken into police custody.
Yoon was impeached last month following his declaration of martial law. The country's Constitutional Court must uphold his impeachment for him to be removed from office.
Separately, Yoon faces a criminal investigation into insurrection and abuse of power but has defied multiple requests to appear for questioning as part of that probe.
Yoon's lawyers have slammed the detention effort as politically motivated. They also argue that the court that issued the detention warrant had no jurisdiction to do so, and that the anti-corruption agency leading the investigation has no mandate to investigate the president for insurrection.
Earlier this week, South Korea's acting president, Choi Sang-mok, warned against the possibility of clashes between security forces, urging both sides to act in a "peaceful and restrained manner."
The previous detention attempt on January 3 was suspended after a six-hour standoff, with the detention team citing the risk of violence.