LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Police and investigators in South Korea tried but failed to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports that it's a new setback in the country's political crisis, which began one month ago today when Yoon briefly put the country under martial law.
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UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTIST: (Singing in Korean).
ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE: Yoon's supporters rallied outside his residence. Some waved South Korean and U.S. flags and placards that said, stop the steal. They believe that the opposition won control of parliament through electoral fraud. Meanwhile, about 150 police and anti-corruption investigators got past soldiers guarding Yoon's residence. But Yoon's security detail blocked them on the grounds that there were military secrets there. Both camps accuse the other side of obstructing justice and threatening democracy. Kim Byung-joo is an opposition Democratic Party lawmaker.
KIM BYUNG-JOO: (Through interpreter) The insurrection's mastermind, Yoon Suk Yeol, has endangered the country's rule of law. In the process, Yoon has issued a rallying call to the far right. He is making a pathetic move to use them as a shield.
KUHN: Yoon has told his supporters he'll fight to the end. Ruling People Power Party acting leader Quan Song Dong gave a warning to the Corruption Investigation Office, or CIO, which tried to arrest Yoon.
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KWEON SEONG-DONG: (Speaking Korean).
KUHN: "The CIO shouldn't fight with the people to execute a warrant," he said. "The national prestige of Korea is at stake. Please refrain from unreasonable attempts to arrest the sitting president." South Korea is now in uncharted waters, as none of its sitting presidents has ever been arrested. After a nearly six-hour standoff, the police and investigators withdrew. The top two commanders of the presidential security detail have been booked on charges of obstructing public duty. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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