The arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol is set to expire, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is still deliberating on whether to re-execute the warrant. As of the morning of January 6th (Korean time), the office has not yet decided on its course of action. The office is considering several possibilities, including a second attempt to execute the warrant before it expires, seeking an extension of the validity period by reapplying for the warrant, or requesting the arrest warrant without attempting to physically arrest President Yoon.
According to the legal community, the Corruption Investigation Office is still internally reviewing its options rather than moving forward with a second attempt at execution this morning. An official from the office stated, “It will probably be difficult to decide on a plan of action in the morning.” Discussions with the police, who are forming a joint investigation headquarters, took place the day before. At 6:30 AM today, there was no noticeable movement at the Government Complex-Gwacheon, and all official vehicles used during the initial arrest attempt on January 3rd remained parked.
If the Corruption Investigation Office decides to attempt a second execution of the arrest warrant, it must do so in the early afternoon today, as the warrant, issued on December 31st, is only valid until midnight. The office is expected to increase its personnel with the help of the police, as it is numerically outmatched by the Presidential Security Service, which is tasked with protecting the president. However, it remains uncertain whether the execution will be successful, as the Secret Service could refuse to allow a search on the grounds of security restrictions under the Presidential Security Act.
On January 4th, the Corruption Investigation Office sent a formal request for cooperation from the Presidential Security Service to Acting President Choi Sang-mok. However, as of now, no response has been received. If the office concludes that executing the warrant within the current timeframe is unfeasible, it could reapply to the court for an extension of the warrant’s validity. Given that the reasons for issuing the original arrest warrant—such as President Yoon’s failure to appear for questioning—have not changed, and the office’s authority to investigate remains intact, an extension is seen as a logical step.
However, unless the Presidential Security Service alters its stance, the likelihood of a successful execution remains uncertain. Critics may question the Corruption Investigation Office’s determination to proceed with the investigation if another execution attempt fails. Some speculate that the office may opt to bypass the physical arrest and directly request a new arrest warrant without a face-to-face investigation.
An official from the Corruption Investigation Office indicated that several options are under review, including the possibility of a pre-emptive arrest warrant, re-execution of the existing warrant, or seeking an extension. Under the current criminal procedure law, arrest warrants can be issued for both detained suspects and those who have not been arrested. However, securing a warrant requires prior examination by a judge, whether the suspect is already in custody.
Attorney Bae Bo-yoon, who previously represented President Yoon during the impeachment trial, emphasized that Yoon would comply with the arrest warrant procedure. He stated, “The court will fully review the warrant.” However, it remains unclear whether President Yoon will comply with the court’s pre-arrest suspect examination, or whether the execution of the warrant will be blocked again by the Presidential Security Service, as happened with the first attempt. If a new arrest warrant is issued, it would place further legal and logistical pressure on the investigation, as securing the suspect would elevate the process to a more complex level.