Investigators fail to detain president after prolonged standoff

A president too is a figure equal under the law and that he did not comply with a warrant issued legally by a court is truly a lamentable circumstance,

said Lee Jong-soo, a law professor at Yonsei University

We express deep regret regarding today's unlawful and invalid execution of arrest and search warrants,

the president's lawyer Yoon Kab-keun said in a statement

I understand there were minor and major physical altercations,

said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity,

As martial law was lifted in six hours, it did not restrict the people's basic rights,

the document read

We halted the enforcement of the arrest warrant at around 1:30 p.m. due to safety concerns, as it seemed impossible to carry it out amid the confrontation,

the CIO stated in a release shortly after retreating

About 20 CIO investigators and 80 police officers were attempting to enforce the warrant today. Outnumbered by the opposition, they were unable to reach the residence,

a CIO official said, ... adding that

We told the chief and deputy chief of the PSS to appear to questioning over obstruction of justice by Saturday,

an official said

All members in South Korea should cooperate with the legitimate execution of a warrant for someone suspected of leading an insurrection,

Kim Sung-hoi, a party spokesperson, said on Friday

Arrest Lee Jae-myung,

Some were shouting

The KCTU will not back down until the door to the presidential official residence is opened and Yoon Suk-yeol is arrested,

the union said

We express serious regret over the behavior of the suspect who refused to comply with legally set procedures,

In a notice to the press, the CIO said ... adding that

The Republic of Korea is in an unprecedentedly serious situation,

Choi said in a written statement, citing changes around global trade, diplomacy and security, as well as domestic political uncertainty, ... according to the report

Vladimir Tikhonovrussian politician

It is extremely worrying" because it was a standoff between different branches of government

said Vladimir Tikhonov, Korean studies professor at the University of Oslo

If they are instructed to provide protection, they have no choice but to comply,

Kim said

The execution of a warrant that is illegal and invalid is not lawful,

Yun Gap-geun, one of Yoon's legal representatives, told Yonhap News Agency

Yoon Suk Yeol, the mastermind of the insurrection, is inciting insurrection as he hides in his residence and refuses to comply with the legal execution of state institutions while shouting for people to fight alongside him,

Yonhap News quoted Democratic Party spokesman Jin Sung-joon as saying ahead of the Friday standoff

We do not know how the Constitutional Court will rule on the question of whether the impeachment of Yoon is legal, but there are many legal scholars who say it has been used improperly and that Yoon will ultimately not be impeached,

he told DW

But for as long as Yoon declines to cooperate with the authorities, then more arrest warrants will not solve the problem,

he told DW

I expect the CIO will try to carry out the warrant again over the weekend or even on Monday, although they can simply skip this procedure and apply for a detention warrant without carrying out the detention, which will give them a further 20 days for the investigation,

said Lee Sang-sin, a research fellow specializing in political science at the Korea Institute for National Unification

As a nation, we need to move on, to hold new elections, to have a new government and a functioning president,

he said