By Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained by police Wednesday, marking an historic first for a sitting leader of the country, the state news agency Yonhap reported.
Investigators detained the impeached president at his residence for questioning related to his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.
A detention warrant was executed at 10.33 a.m. (0133GMT) by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), it added.
The arrest follows a failed attempt on Jan. 3, when agents from the Presidential Security Service blocked investigators from entering Yoon’s residence. Later, a court extended the arrest warrant, which was set to expire on Jan. 21.
Around 3,000 police officers were reportedly deployed in the second attempt to secure access to Yoon’s compound.
Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to face an arrest warrant as well as a travel ban.