8-1-2025 (SEOUL) South Korean authorities are actively monitoring President Yoon Suk Yeol’s whereabouts, as speculation mounts over his possible departure from his official residence whilst facing potential arrest following his controversial martial law decree, law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday.
The president’s location has become a matter of intense public interest after a senior police source, speaking to British media on condition of anonymity, declined to reveal specific details but confirmed ongoing surveillance efforts.
The embattled leader has reportedly remained largely confined to his official residence in central Seoul since his impeachment by the National Assembly on 14 December, following his ill-fated attempt to impose martial law earlier that month.
Last Friday’s dramatic events saw investigators attempting to execute an arrest warrant at the presidential compound, resulting in a tense five-hour standoff with presidential security personnel before authorities were forced to withdraw, according to police sources familiar with the matter.
Fresh uncertainty about Yoon’s whereabouts emerged during Tuesday’s parliamentary session when Oh Dong-woon, who heads the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, revealed he lacked concrete information about the president’s presence at his residence. When pressed about potential flight risks, Oh acknowledged authorities were “considering various scenarios”.
Adding fuel to the speculation, Opposition Democratic Party MP Ahn Gyu-back claimed during a Wednesday broadcast on KBS radio that he had received credible intelligence suggesting the president had already vacated his residence. “I’ve been informed that he’s currently concealed himself at an undisclosed third location”, Ahn stated, adding that police assessments appeared to support this information.