SEOUL: Concerns have grown over a potential clash if investigators proceed with a warrant to detain South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol as the impeached president has vowed to "fight to the end."
The state anti-corruption agency is likely to execute the warrant to detain Yoon as early as Thursday after the Seoul Western District Court granted it Tuesday over Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3.
Yoon has become the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has since been making preparations to execute the warrant without major disruptions amid concerns that the presidential security service and Yoon's supporters may prevent it from doing so, reports Yonhap news agency.
Some 30 supporters were forcibly dispersed by the police after they broke through a police barrier to protest outside the entrance of the presidential residence.
The supporters were carried away by their limbs, with some yelling the president's name.
Yoon sent a message of solidarity to supporters gathered outside his residence the previous day.
"Due to internal and external forces infringing on its sovereignty and the activities by anti-state groups, South Korea is now in danger, " Yoon said in the message. "With you, I will fight to the end to protect this country."
Yoon's lawyer also claimed Thursday that if police attempt to carry out the warrant on behalf of the CIO, the presidential security service would be able to arrest them on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of official duties.
Yoon's legal defence team has filed an injunction to suspend the warrant's effect, calling it "illegal."
The CIO requested the warrant after Yoon ignored all three summonses to appear for questioning as part of its joint investigation with the police and the defence ministry's investigation unit over the martial law bid.
While warrants are swiftly carried out once issued, the CIO appears to be mindful of how and when it is executed, given that it targets a sitting president.
The presidential security service has said it would take security measures in accordance with due process after the warrant was issued, leading observers to believe the security service may maintain its protection for Yoon rather than cooperate with investigators.
The CIO has vowed to execute the warrant, which will expire Monday.
Along with the detention warrant, the court also issued a warrant for investigators to search the presidential residence, outlining an exception to laws that restrict searches in locations with military secrets or seizing official secrets without consent.
The security service had previously prevented investigators from raiding the presidential office on such grounds.
An official at the security service told Yonhap News Agency that it has yet to confirm whether the exception is spelt out in the warrant.
Oh Dong-woon, the CIO chief, called on the security service Wednesday to cooperate, warning that any attempt to block the execution of the warrants could amount to dereliction of duty and obstruction of official duties.
If Yoon is arrested, investigators plan to take him to the CIO's headquarters in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, for questioning before detaining him at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang near the CIO's office.
Once detained, the CIO will have 48 hours to either seek another warrant for Yoon's formal arrest for further detention or release him.