A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for impeached and suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, investigators said on Tuesday, over his short-lived bid to impose martial law.
Yoon briefly suspended civilian rule on Dec. 3, plunging South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.
Parliament stripped him of his presidential duties over the action, but a constitutional court ruling is pending on whether to confirm the impeachment.
"The arrest warrant and search warrant ... were issued this morning," the Joint Investigation Headquarters said in a statement.
The conservative leader faces criminal charges of insurrection, which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
Investigators probing Yoon over his declaration of martial law requested the warrant on Monday after he failed to report for questioning a third time.
"There is a concern that the individual may refuse to comply with the summons without justifiable reasons," a Corruption Investigation Office official told reporters on Tuesday.
The official said there was "sufficient probable cause" to suspect the commission of a crime. The warrant is valid until Jan. 6, and Yoon will likely be held at the Seoul detention center.
Yoon's lawyer called the warrant "illegal and invalid," saying investigators lacked the authority to probe the president.
Investigators also raided the army's Counterintelligence Command offices on Tuesday and indicted two top commanders on charges they said were linked to insurrection and abuse of authority.
Hundreds of people had gathered in front of the president's house by mid-afternoon Tuesday, mainly his supporters waving South Korean flags and chanting: "Martial law legal! Impeachment invalid!"
Police were sent to the area in large numbers and could be seen shouting at protesters to keep in line.
"Up to 3,000 people will move to protest against the unfair and invalid arrest warrant," said an official from the largest protest group supporting Yoon Suk Yeol.
Even though the warrant has been issued, it is unclear whether investigators and police will be able to execute it.
The Presidential Security Service (PSS) has previously refused to comply with three search warrants.
However, lawyer Yun Bok-nam, president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, told AFP that while there was a legal basis for rejecting a search warrant, "there's no such provision for arrest warrants." he said "I expect the arrest process will proceed smoothly," he added.
Local media reported that an imminent arrest or search of the presidential residence was unlikely because investigators would seek to coordinate with the PSS.
Technically, anyone obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant could be arrested.
Yoon is being investigated by prosecutors as well as a joint team comprising police, Defense Ministry and anti-corruption officials.
