South Korea’s Presidential Security Chief Resigns Amid Tensions Over Yoon Arrest
The head of South Korea’s Presidential Security Service, Park Jong-joon, resigned on Friday following a warning about potential violence in efforts to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. Park had been under investigation for allegations of obstructing public duty, particularly after his security team blocked an earlier attempt by authorities to execute an arrest warrant against Yoon. His resignation was confirmed by the office of acting President Choi Sang-mok, after Park appeared for police questioning earlier that day.
Park expressed concerns about the possibility of violence if authorities moved forward with another attempt to arrest Yoon, particularly after last week’s failed effort. He emphasized that his goal was to prevent physical clashes or bloodshed, as the nation was on edge due to the political turmoil. His comments came amid ongoing investigations into Yoon for his brief declaration of martial law in December, which sparked a deep political crisis in the country.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) and the police are preparing to try again to detain Yoon, who is facing allegations of insurrection and abuse of power. The previous attempt to arrest him had been abandoned after a standoff with presidential security forces, who raised concerns for their personnel’s safety during the hours-long confrontation. If Yoon were arrested, it would mark the first time in South Korean history that a sitting president is detained.
Despite his legal troubles, Yoon’s support appears to be growing. Recent polls show a decrease in support for his removal from office, with 64 percent of respondents now backing his impeachment, down from 75 percent following his martial law decree. Additionally, the approval rating for Yoon’s party, the People Power Party (PPP), has increased significantly, rising to 34 percent from 24 percent just a month ago.
