Yoon Suk Yeol’s arrest fuels divisions in South Korea

Tears, cries of despair and shocked faces: this was the reaction of supporters of the ousted South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol when they learned that he had been arrested outside his home.

was one a moment that had been building for weeks – since the last attempt to arrest Yoon failed on January 3 a dramatic stop.

However, news of his arrest on Wednesday morning only seemed to create more uncertainty, with Yoon’s short-lived martial law order and parliamentary impeachment highlighting divisions in an already deeply polarized country.

“This country is in crisis,” said one Yoon supporter, tears streaming down her face. “Since last night I have been praying for a stable and peaceful South Korea.”

It’s what both sides want, but they can’t agree on how to get there.

For the past month, a defiant Yoon, 64, has been holed up inside his presidential compound in central Seoul as supporters and detractors rallied outside. Yongsan in central Seoul was turned into the epicenter of the protests, with tensions often running high.

Hundreds of them camped out on Tuesday night, as the arrest was imminent, in temperatures that dropped to -8C. The one thing they shared was the food trucks that kept them warm with steaming drinks and instant noodles.

Yoon’s supporters turned on 3,000 police who converged to arrest him. “Don’t call us stupid extremists,” shouted one protester, echoing the frustration of Yoon’s camp.

A completely different scene unfolded on the other side of the street. Yoon’s opponents, who had long called for his arrest, celebrated with chants and cheers.

Their joy only angered the pro-Yoon camp, with some shouting, “Don’t make fun of us, this isn’t funny.”

The gulf is not limited to this corner of Yongsan. He has been traveling across the country for over a month.

Yoon’s surprise announcement of martial law on December 3 almost immediately divided public opinion into two camps.

While some believed the country was under threat, a larger group saw the move as an opportunistic abuse of power. This sentiment was also reflected within Yoon’s party, with many of its lawmakers voting to impeach him.

The growing opposition to Yoon’s actions has rattled the nation.

The year-end season in South Korea is usually a busy one. But this year was significantly different. Political unrest – together The devastating Jeju Air crash on December 29 – has created a low and dark atmosphere.

Yoon himself has largely avoided the public since he was impeached by parliament in mid-December.

He never came out of his residence to meet his supporters. On New Year’s Day, he sent them a note, saying he was “watching (them) up close via a YouTube live stream.” He skipped the first session of his impeachment trial on January 14, delaying the proceedings.

He had previously refused to comply with several subpoenas as part of a criminal investigation into sedition charges, which led to an arrest warrant.

On Wednesday, he released a video statement saying he would cooperate with the Corruption Investigation Bureau (CIO) to prevent “bloodshed”, saying their arrest warrant was not legally valid.

It was a massive operation after the CIO warned that even the president’s security team could be arrested if they tried to block Yoon’s arrest again. Unlike last time, the CIO and the police managed to arrest Yoon, although it still took hours of negotiations.

After leaving the presidential complex, the surrounding streets began to empty. The demonstrators were dispersed and the police barricades were removed.

Some of Yoon’s supporters went to the CIO’s office to inquire. They need another warrant to detain them for more than 48 hours.

While Yoon’s arrest has ended the security situation, it has not ended the rift beyond in South Korea, which has emerged as a benchmark for global economics and democracy in Asia in recent decades.

“Arresting the leader of the country doesn’t even make sense,” said a protester outside the presidential palace.

A dissenting voice replied: “Enforcing the arrest warrant is a necessary step – Yoon tried to undermine the country’s democracy.”

Yoon himself continues to question whether the CIO has the right to arrest him – his lawyers say no, as the rebellion is not a corruption charge. But the CIO says insurgency is a form of abuse of power, a charge it is within its purview to investigate.

What appears to be a legal dispute has veered into political territory, with both sides trying to control the narrative.

The swift dismissal of Yoon’s immediate successor – Prime Minister Han Duck-soo – has already led to accusations that the impeachment is being used as a political tool against Yoon’s allies. And Yoon’s impeachment trial, which began this week, has created more uncertainty.

The public’s focus will be on Yoon’s statements, if any, made while in custody or on trial.

For Yoon, fear is what’s coming, that the polarization that has come to define South Korean politics will remain.