South Korean investigators say the impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is refusing to answer questions under interrogation. He was arrested on Wednesday in relation to his short-lived imposition of martial law in early December. In a video message the president said he had agreed to appear before the investigators to prevent any bloodshed, though he described the investigation as illegal. We speak to a member of the opposition and to a prominent South Korean writer about the mood in the country. Also in the programme: an international panel of experts says we need to improve how we diagnose obesity to avoid over-diagnosis; firefighters in LA brace for new high winds; Is Space being privatised - and is that fair? And Kenya's only ice hockey team goes international. Photo: Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol rally near the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking officials following his arrest in Gwacheon, South Korea, January 15, 2025. Credit: Soo-hyeon/ REUTERS
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I'm Rebecca Kesby.
The impeached president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yul, has been arrested, the first sitting president ever to be arrested.
He's being investigated for charges of insurrection after his failed attempt to impose martial law on 3 December.
It's the latest in the standoff between his own presidential team and officials from the Corruption Investigation Office.
Earlier attempts to arrest him failed when his security guards blocked police earlier this month.
Today, though, the police took no chances, sending a massive force of around 3,000 officers to make the arrest.
There were dramatic scenes as the officers surrounded the presidential compound just before dawn around 4am Armed with bolt cutters and even a crane, they refused to leave without Mr.
Yun.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people, both anti and pro Yoon supporters, crowded around the presidential residence in freezing temperatures.
As the drama unfolded, these anti Yoon protesters were chanting arrest him in Korean.
After several hours, Mr.
Yoon has said that he decided to give himself up to avoid bloodshed, as he put it.
And a short time ago, he was being moved to a detention center after being interrogated.
But our correspondent Shaima Khalil was on the scene last night and into this morning during that arrest.