"K-Drama More Entertaining"… Chinese Netizens Skipped Lunch Watching 'Yoon's Arrest'

The Joint Investigation Headquarters (Gongjobon) deployed over 3,000 personnel, including investigators and riot police, on the 15th to execute the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol. Amid this, the incident has become a hot topic among Chinese netizens as well.

Chinese state media broadcast the warrant execution process in real-time, and the breaking news updates garnered millions of views, attracting significant attention.

State-run China Central Television (CCTV) has been delivering live coverage of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gongsucho) and police executing the warrant since 5:33 a.m. that day. CCTV detailed the domestic situation, stating, "President Yoon's legal team and lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party formed a 'human wall' to block police and investigators from entering the presidential residence," and added, "Physical clashes occurred between the two sides, resulting in injuries."

On the 15th, when the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit and the Police Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Team proceeded to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, police officers were passing through the main gate of the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

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Earlier, fire authorities reported that hundreds of President Yoon's supporters clashed with police in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and one person collapsed and was transported to a hospital.

Another state-run outlet, Xinhua News Agency, covered not only the status of President Yoon's detention but also the ongoing impeachment trial and the schedule of hearings in detail. The media noted, "President Yoon was absent from the first hearing," and explained, "Experts point out that the process from the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial hearings to the final verdict is quite complex and highly uncertain."

It also reported, "In South Korea, the ruling and opposition parties are deadlocked, and the political situation remains turbulent."

Real-time breaking news updates related to President Yoon Suk-yeol on a Chinese news portal. Screenshot from Baidu.

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The real-time breaking news from these media outlets captivated local netizens' attention. Around 1:30 p.m. that day, the keyword "Yoon Seok-yeol, South Korean President, first-ever arrest in constitutional history" ranked third among popular search terms on Baidu, China's largest portal site.

From the Chinese perspective, South Korea's unfamiliar democratic politics seem to be a source of curiosity for netizens. Comments on news boards included, "This is more interesting than Korean dramas," "I missed lunch because I was watching this," "Being president must be the most dangerous job in that country," and "Are Koreans only going to watch trial news during this year's Chuseok (Lunar New Year holiday)?"

Meanwhile, the second execution of the arrest warrant for President Yoon began around 3:30 a.m. and concluded after about seven hours. The police started removing barbed wire around 7 a.m., used ladders and cutters to cross barricades, and entered the residence through the main gate. Subsequently, the police and Gongsucho, arriving at the final line of defense, entered the residence with President Yoon's legal team and Presidential Secretary General Jeong Jin-seok to begin negotiations related to the warrant execution.

The negotiations concluded after two hours, and Gongsucho and the police executed the warrant at approximately 10:33 a.m., arresting President Yoon. He was transported to Gongsucho in Gwacheon City, Gyeonggi Province, while seated in a security service vehicle.

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