The Corruption Investigation Office Executes Second Arrest Warrant... Police Enforce Ironclad Control Near the Official Residence

On the morning of the 15th, when the Joint Investigation Headquarters (Joint Headquarters) began executing the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, thousands of police officers gathered near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Along with this, the police started a tight blockade around the residence, including barricading the road and sidewalk with barriers.

At around 5:50 a.m. that day, about 160 police buses were parked near the Hannam-dong residence. The police buses blocked two of the five lanes from Hannam-daero to the direction of Yaksu Station and set up double barricades. At the entrance to the residence near the International Lutheran Church, police buses were arranged vertically, blocking the entrance with triple barricades. Tow trucks designed to dismantle barricades and remove iron gates were also seen. Three tow trucks were positioned next to the police buses on the road from Hannam-daero to Yaksu Station, standing by for deployment.

Three special tow vehicles are stationed near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Shim Seong-ah

According to the Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters, 54 riot police units from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency were deployed near the residence that day. Considering that each unit consists of about 60 personnel, more than 3,200 officers gathered. The thousands of riot police personnel formed groups at regular intervals from the entrance of the residence to the area around Hangangjin Station, about 700 meters away, guarding the site.

The police also installed barricades to prevent protesters opposing the execution of the arrest warrant from entering the roadway. Barricades were set up in a U-shape from the entrance of the presidential residence toward Hannam-daero, surrounding the protesters. Small clashes occurred when some protesters grabbed and shook the barricades, demanding the police "open the gates." When protesters resisted on-site control by filming the police’s evidence-gathering cameras, the police issued warning broadcasts, saying, "Do not shake the barricades."

On the 15th, supporters of President Yoon Seok-yeol held an impeachment rally near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Police buses were deployed in two layers on the lanes facing Hannam-daero toward Yaksu Station. Photo by Lee Ji-eun

Participants in the pro- and anti-impeachment rallies gathered in two groups centered around Hannam Elementary School. According to unofficial police estimates, about 6,500 people participated in the anti-impeachment rally, and about 2,300 in the pro-impeachment rally. The anti-impeachment protesters continued their rally, shouting slogans such as "Disband the Corruption Investigation Office" and "Impeachment invalid."

By 7 a.m., during rush hour, traffic congestion began on Hannam-daero toward Yaksu Station, where lanes were not fully blocked. The police intermittently lifted vehicle restrictions every five minutes at Bukhannam Intersection to allow pedestrian passage, allowing buses and passenger cars to enter the road in groups of about ten. Vehicles moved in a line using only one of the five lanes. Vehicles blocked by police control stopped at Bukhannam Intersection and waited for several minutes.

On the morning of the 15th, traffic congestion occurred around Bukhan-nam Samgeori in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Lee Ji-eun

Meanwhile, the Corruption Investigation Office, which failed to execute the first arrest warrant on the 3rd, began the second execution on this day. Corruption Investigation Office vehicles and police riot buses arrived in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong after 4 a.m. Including the Corruption Investigation Office personnel, a total of 5,000 people were mobilized for the execution of the arrest warrant.