South Korea Investigators Ask Acting President to Clear Way for Yoon's Arrest

Protest against Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul, January 4, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
Protest against Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul, January 4, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
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South Korea Investigators Ask Acting President to Clear Way for Yoon's Arrest

Protest against Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul, January 4, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
Protest against Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul, January 4, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

South Korean investigators again asked the country's acting president on Saturday to order the presidential security service to comply with an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The security service, along with military troops, on Friday prevented prosecutors from arresting Yoon Suk Yeol in a six-hour standoff inside Yoon's compound. The investigators secured the warrant to arrest Yoon over his brief declaration of martial law last month, Reuters reported.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said on Saturday it had again asked acting President Choi Sang-mok, the nation's finance minister, to order the presidential security service to cooperate with the warrant.

A finance ministry spokesperson declined to comment.

Yoon's Dec. 3 martial declaration stunned South Korea and led to the first arrest warrant to be issued for a sitting president.



Taliban Say India Is a ‘Significant Regional Partner’ after Meeting

Photo: AFP
Photo: AFP
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Taliban Say India Is a ‘Significant Regional Partner’ after Meeting

Photo: AFP
Photo: AFP

The Taliban's foreign office said they saw India as a "significant regional and economic partner" after meeting with its most senior foreign ministry official, the highest level talks with Delhi since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai on Wednesday.
Afghanistan's foreign ministry said in a statement that they had discussed expanding relations with Afghanistan and to boost trade through Chabahar Port in Iran, which India has been developing for goods to bypass the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in its rival Pakistan, Reuters reported.
"In line with Afghanistan's balanced and economy-focused foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate aims to strengthen political and economic ties with India as a significant regional and economic partner," the statement from Afghanistan's foreign ministry said late on Wednesday.
India's foreign ministry said after the Delhi meeting that India was considering engaging in development projects in Afghanistan and looking to boost trade ties.
No foreign government, including India, officially recognizes the Taliban administration.
However, India is one of several countries with a small mission in Kabul to facilitate trade, aid and medical support and has sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under the Taliban.
Regional players including China and Russia have signaled they are willing to boost trade and investment in Afghanistan.
The Delhi meeting could ruffle Pakistan, which borders both countries and has fought three wars in the past against India.
Pakistan and Afghanistan also have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several militant attacks that have occurred in its country have been launched from Afghan soil - a charge the Afghan Taliban denies.
Earlier this week India's foreign office told journalists they condemned airstrikes conducted late last year by Pakistan on Afghan soil.