Protests after bid to arrest president fails

TURMOIL swept South Korea after a bid to seize its suspended president led to a six-hour armed stand-off between police and his supporters.

- Stephen Beech

Authorities gave up trying to detain head of state Yoon Suk Yeol at his home in the capital Seoul yesterday.

Hundreds of his supporters had camped out there overnight to hamper his arrest. Police who approached the compound at dawn were blocked by some 200 soldiers and guards loyal to Yoon who refused them entry.

Scuffles erupted before the authorities later called off their forces as large crowds gathered to protest over the failed arrest attempt.

South Korea was last night left in political limbo as no sitting president has ever faced arrest before.