Anchor: The state anti-corruption agency has suspended its attempt to take impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol into custody as it investigates his failed martial law bid. After an hourslong standoff with presidential security staff, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, or CIO, told reporters that it had to back off. The warrant remains valid until Monday. 
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: Authorities have failed to arrest President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his botched martial law attempt earlier this month. 

The CIO said Friday that its investigators withdrew from the presidential compound at 1:30 p.m. after an hourslong standoff with the Presidential Security Service. 

The CIO said it made the decision out of concern for its investigators’ safety, while expressing regret over what it called the suspect’s less than cooperative attitude. 

The agency sent its investigators to the presidential compound Friday morning to take the president into custody after he failed to comply with three summonses.   

The CIO told reporters that its investigators were confronted by around 200 secret service officials and troops, who formed a human wall some 200 meters ahead of Yoon’s residence.

They presented the arrest warrant to secret service chief Park Chong-jun around 10:10 a.m., but he denied access to the residence, citing presidential security regulations. 

About 100 officials from the CIO and the police had been in the presidential compound during the standoff. 

The Seoul Western District Court on Tuesday granted the warrant, which is valid for one week and allows investigators to question Yoon in custody for up to 48 hours.

A presidential security official said earlier on Friday that the secret service only provides protection for the president in compliance with the law. 

The police have deployed 27-hundred personnel near the presidential residence to maintain order and prevent clashes among protesters.

Yoon’s defense team expressed regrets, saying the state anti-corruption body attempted to forcibly execute the arrest warrant by mobilizing riot police, and urged the agency to abide by the law.

The president’s defense team has also filed an appeal challenging the warrant, alleging violations of the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Act.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.