SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean anti-corruption agency and the police on Monday reached a consensus that they will jointly execute the arrest warrant against impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol under the framework of the joint investigation unit.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) sent an official document late Sunday to the National Office of Investigation (NOI) of the Korean National Police Agency, requesting that the task of executing the arrest warrant be transferred to the police.
The CIO formed the joint investigation unit with the NOI and the defense ministry's investigation headquarters to probe Yoon's martial law imposition.
The CIO said that after considering the police's professionalism in executing arrest warrants and the need for a unified command structure at the scene, it had decided to transfer the task of arresting Yoon to the NOI so as to carry out the arrest more quickly and efficiently.
However, the NOI said early Monday that the document contained "legal flaws," making it difficult for the police to comply with the request. Local media reports said that the police's stand implies that the responsibility for executing the arrest warrant lies with CIO prosecutors, with the police playing a supporting role rather than serving as the main executor.
The two sides agreed later in the day to maintain and work under the joint investigation unit.
In a statement released Monday, the joint investigation unit announced that they had submitted an application to the Seoul Western District Court to extend the validity of Yoon's arrest warrant. However, the specific duration of the extension was not disclosed.
The Seoul Western District Court on Dec. 31 issued the arrest warrant for Yoon, citing allegations of insurrection, along with a search warrant for the presidential residence. The warrant is valid until Monday.
The police said that they are tracking Yoon's whereabouts and will actively try to arrest him during a second attempt to execute the warrant, adding they are discussing measures with the CIO to address potential obstruction by the Presidential Security Service during the second execution.
When asked if special police forces would be deployed for the second attempt, the police said they would consider all feasible options.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate on it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended.
Yoon, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on insurrection charge, declared martial law on the night of Dec. 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. ■
