S Korea's Yoon Set to Avoid Arrest by Warrant Deadline

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appeared set to evade arrest ahead of a Monday night deadline after anti-graft investigators asked for more time to enforce a warrant.

- Agence France-Presse

SEOUL:

The former star prosecutor has defiantly refused questioning three times over a bungled martial law decree last month and remained holed up in his residence surrounded by hundreds of guards preventing his arrest.

Anti-graft investigators sought an extension to the warrant that expired at the end of Monday (1500 GMT) and asked for support from the police, which said the force would help and may arrest anyone shielding Yoon.

"The validity of the warrant expires today. We plan to request an extension from the court today," said CIO deputy director Lee Jae-seung, whose authority has been refuted by Yoon's lawyers.

The request was officially filed on Monday evening and an extension can be granted all the way up to the midnight deadline. If the warrant expires, investigators can apply for another one.

The anti-graft officials have sought more time and help because of the difficulties they have faced, including being met by hundreds of security forces when they entered Yoon's presidential compound on Friday.