President Yoon Suk-yeol, who initiated the December 3 Martial Law, was arrested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on the 15th on charges of leading an insurrection and abuse of power. This is the first time in history that a sitting president has been arrested, and it comes 43 days after the declaration of martial law.

The CIO believes President Yoon declared an unconstitutional and illegal martial law, deployed armed martial law troops to the National Assembly, and sealed off and neutralized the legislature. Additionally, he is suspected of disturbing the constitutional order and inciting a rebellion by attempting to arrest and detain key political figures from both parties and staff members of the National Election Commission.

In response, the CIO requested President Yoon to appear voluntarily on three occasions last month?the 18th, the 25th, and the 29th?but he consistently refused to comply. On the 30th of last month, the court issued an arrest warrant, and the CIO attempted to detain President Yoon at his official residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan, but failed due to fierce resistance from the Presidential Security Service.

The CIO obtained a new arrest warrant on the 6th of this month. At around 10:33 a.m. that day, they secured President Yoon at his Hannam-dong residence. The Security Service, which had blocked the first arrest attempt, did not intervene this time as its leadership had collapsed.

Here are some of the dramatic moments from the historic first arrest of a sitting president in the nation's constitutional history.

The road in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, is being blocked on the 15th as the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HOCI) and the police proceed with the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Sukyeol. Photo by Jo Yongjun

원본보기 아이콘

As President Yoon's arrest drew near in the early morning of the 15th, the CIO and police began to control the area in front of the Hannam-dong residence.

Supporters are holding an overnight sit-in near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, early in the morning of the 15th, as the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HOCI) and the police proceed with the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Sukyeol. Photo by Jo Yongjun

원본보기 아이콘

Supporters of President Yoon reacted fiercely, staging an overnight sit-in protest.

A rally demanding arrest is being held in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in the early morning of the 15th, as the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HOCI) and the police proceed with the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol. Photo by Jo Yongjun

원본보기 아이콘

Meanwhile, protests supporting President Yoon's arrest also took place, turning the area in front of the residence into a scene of chaos.

The presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, is shown on the 15th as the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency and the Police Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Unit move to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

원본보기 아이콘

At that moment, the Hannam-dong residence was enveloped in silence.

On the 15th, as the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency and the Police Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Unit moved to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Sukyeol, the security office was bustling at the entrance of the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

원본보기 아이콘

Around 4:20 a.m., the CIO and police arrest team arrived at the Hannam-dong residence, officially initiating the arrest operation.

In the early morning of the 15th, when the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol began, the leadership of the People Power Party held a closed-door meeting at the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

원본보기 아이콘

As the arrest became imminent, the People Power Party held an emergency meeting at 6 a.m.

원본보기 아이콘

For the arrest, the police deployed 1,200 officers from the National Investigation Headquarters' special investigation unit and regional investigation units from Seoul, Southern Gyeonggi, Northern Gyeonggi, and Incheon. The CIO deployed 40 prosecutors and investigators. The Security Service set up a six-layer vehicle barricade and stationed staff at the entrance to the residence.

Around 5:10 a.m., the CIO and police presented the arrest and search warrants to President Yoon's legal team, but attorney Yoon Gap-geun argued, "There are no exceptions under Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act in the warrant. This is an illegal operation and constitutes rebellion." In response, the police repeatedly warned, "Obstructing the execution of the warrant may result in immediate arrest for obstruction of official duties."

Around 5:45 a.m., the police and CIO attempted to forcibly enter the residence. About 30 People Power Party lawmakers and President Yoon's attorneys formed a human chain to block the arrest and held out for over an hour. The CIO and police also sent investigators up the Maebongsan mountain trail behind the residence for a parallel entry. The arrest team gathered at the Maebongsan trail around 6 a.m. Ultimately, at about 7:30 a.m., the CIO and police used ladders to climb over the vehicle barricade and breach the first line of defense?about two and a half hours after the initial attempt.

On the 15th, the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit and the Police Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Team executed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyoul. Police officers are crossing the second blockade line at the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

원본보기 아이콘

Soon after, at around 7:40 a.m., the arrest team broke through the second barricade.

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

원본보기 아이콘

Subsequent entry was achieved easily, with little resistance from the Security Service.

At 8:24 a.m., the CIO and police opened the third barricade gate and allowed the investigation team's vehicles to enter. As President Yoon's arrest became imminent, Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-seok and attorney Yoon Gap-geun insisted he would surrender voluntarily, but after deliberation, the CIO decided to execute the arrest warrant. Although the third barricade was opened, the arrest warrant was not executed until 10:33 a.m.

On the 15th, when the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency and the Police Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Unit began executing an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol, a vehicle presumed to be carrying President Yoon was seen leaving the main gate of the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

원본보기 아이콘

President Yoon Seokyeol's motorcade is heading from the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in Gwacheon on the 15th. Photo by Jo Yongjun

원본보기 아이콘

The arrested President Yoon was immediately transported to Gwacheon.

A photo line has been set up in front of the Gwacheon Public Officials Corruption Investigation Unit building on the 15th. Photo by Dongjoo Yoon

원본보기 아이콘

At that moment, a photo line was set up in front of the CIO, awaiting President Yoon's arrival.

Supporters gathered in Hannam-dong, Seoul, on the 15th, where the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol was being executed. Upon hearing the news of the warrant execution, they lay down on the main road, and the police are dispersing them. Photo by Jo Yongjun

원본보기 아이콘

Supporters of President Yoon lay down on the cold ground in front of the residence, protesting the arrest.

Prime Minister Han Ducksoo is appearing as a witness at the special committee on "Investigating the Truth Behind the Insurrection Charges through the Declaration of Martial Law by the Yoon Seokyoul Administration," held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

원본보기 아이콘

At the National Assembly, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appeared as a witness before the special committee investigating the declaration of martial law and insurrection allegations by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

On the 15th, when the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol was being executed, the vehicle carrying President Yoon arrived at the Gwacheon Office of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. Photo by Yoon Dongju

원본보기 아이콘

On the 15th, when the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seokyeol was being executed, a silhouette of President Yoon entering the Gwacheon Office of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials was confirmed. Photo by Yoon Dongju

원본보기 아이콘

Contrary to expectations, President Yoon did not stand at the photo line and entered the CIO through a different route.

But this single photograph

President Yoon Sukyeol is arriving at the Gwacheon Corruption Investigation Office building on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dongju

원본보기 아이콘

This photo will remain forever in the history of the Republic of Korea.