The stage is set for another mega clash between the Presidential Security Service of impeached South Korea leader Yoon Suk Yeol and the law enforcement agents. The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) officials have vowed to make another ‘forceful’ effort to detain the impeached leader following the last week’s failed attempt. The agency also warned that it could even detain members of the security service for obstructing the execution of a new detention warrant.

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Police said they were open to considering “all available options” to bring Yoon into custody and haven’t publicly dismissed the possibility of deploying SWAT teams.

Notably, the Seoul Western District Court issued a fresh detention warrant against Yoon Tuesday (Jan 7).

Yoon’s lawyers on Wednesday challenged the legitimacy of the warrant, saying the anti-corruption agency CIO lacks legal authority to investigate rebellion charges or order police to detain suspects.

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Yoon Kap-keun, a lawyer from Yoon’s legal team, also urged the CIO to either indict the president or seek a formal arrest warrant. This process will require a court hearing, and the lawyer didn’t give a clear answer whether the president would appear in the courts. "Regarding the execution of a warrant to detain and the investigation, we urge the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) to either indict or seek an arrest warrant," the lawyer said.

Preparation by Presidential Security Service

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As the CIO geared up for making another attempt to detain the president, officials from the president’s security service fortified Yoon's compound with barbed wire and rows of tightly placed vehicles blocking the path to his residence.

Opposition Democratic Party has criticised Yoon’s lawyers for attempting to stall Yoon’s arrest.

Yoon was stripped of his presidential powers on December 14 after an opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him. Now, the matter is pending with the Constitutional Court for further deliberations.

Also read: South Korean court re-issues arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon

National Assembly rejects special probe bills targeting Yoon, first lady

South Korean National Assembly Wednesday rejected two special counsel bills targeting the impeached president and the first lady.

The first bill sought the designation of special prosecutors to look into insurrection charges linked to Yoon’s failed martial law bid. The other bill concerned constituting a special counsel probe into two key allegations involving the first lady over her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and interference in election nominations through a power broker.

(With inputs from agencies)