South Korea's anti-corruption agency has requested that police take over efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after its investigators failed to bring him to custody following an hourslong standoff with the presidential security service last week.
The agency and police confirmed the discussion on Monday local time, hours before the one-week warrant for Yoon's detention was to expire. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials will likely seek a new court warrant to extend the window for Yoon's detention, according to police.
The Seoul Western District Court had issued a warrant to detain Yoon on Dec. 31, after he dodged several requests by investigators to appear for questioning.
The anti-corruption agency, which leads a joint investigation with police and military investigators, is weighing charges of rebellion after the conservative president, apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by a legislature dominated by the liberal opposition, declared martial law on Dec. 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly.