South Korean anti-corruption investigators have failed to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after facing resistance from his security team and about 1,000 supporters gathered outside his residence on Friday.
Investigators arrived at Mr Yoon's residential compound with an arrest warrant over his attempt to impose martial law, in the latest political showdown between the suspended head of state and security officials.
Parliament impeached Mr Yoon after he declared martial law on December 3, and he was suspended from his duties on December 14. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who briefly stepped in as acting president, was also impeached. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is now the interim leader.
Mr Yoon is wanted for questioning in multiple investigations, including accusations of leading an insurrection – a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
“Execution of the arrest warrant was virtually impossible due to the continued standoff,” the investigation office said in a statement. “Future measures will be decided after a review. We express our deepest regret over the suspect’s refusal to comply with legal procedures.”
It scheduled a public briefing later on Friday.
A Seoul court issued a warrant for Mr Yoon's detention on Tuesday after he evaded multiple requests to appear for questioning and blocked searches of his office in Seoul.
In his first public statement in weeks, Mr Yoon said he would “fight to the end” against “anti-state forces”.
Four hours after dozens of investigators and police officers were seen entering the gate of his residence to execute a warrant for Yoon’s detention, the dramatic scene appeared to have developed into a standoff.
A group of pro-Yoon protesters braved subfreezing temperatures for hours, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting slogans in his support. Some shouted “Arrest Lee Jae-myung”, the opposition leader seen as a top contender to take power if Mr Yoon is removed from office.
The president’s lawyers described the warrant as “invalid” and “illegal” and said the presidential security force could arrest police trying to execute it.
Seok Dong-hyeon, one of several lawyers on Mr Yoon’s legal team, confirmed that the investigators arrived at the building but said it was unlikely that they would be able to detain the president on Friday. He said the agency’s efforts to detain Mr Yoon were “reckless” and showed an “outrageous discard for law”.
The standoff prompted the liberal opposition Democratic Party to call on Mr Choi to order the presidential security service to stand down.
Mr Choi must “remember that swiftly addressing the rebellion and preventing further chaos is your responsibility,” said Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker.
The warrant is valid for one week, and investigators may make another attempt to detain Mr Yoon if they are unable to do so on Friday.
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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