Siege outside South Korea’s presidential compound

Supporters of impeached South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol protest in Seoul. Pic/AFP

A standoff between rival government forces outside the presidential compound in South Korea has been a startling development, even for observers used to the country's famously rough and tumble politics.

The agency trying to get Yoon out of his house, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, will likely seek a new court warrant to extend the window for Yoon's detention. Police say they are reviewing the agency's request. It wasn't immediately clear whether the anti-corruption agency would make another attempt to detain Yoon on Monday before the deadline expires at midnight.

Meanwhile, the police said they plan to make a more aggressive effort to detain Yoon at the official residence, where members of the presidential security staff were seen installing barbed wire near the gate and along the hills leading up to the building.

A police official told reporters there were discussions with the anti-corruption agency on whether to arrest members of the presidential security staff if they forcefully obstruct efforts to detain Yoon. When asked about the possibility of deploying police special task forces, the official said "all available options" were being reviewed. If investigators manage to detain Yoon, they will likely ask a court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, he will be released after 48 hours.

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