Yoon’s ‘hard-headed’ armed guards raise fears of bloodshed in South Korea

Fears of violence are mounting in South Korea as attempts to arrest Yoon Suk-yeol continue. Allegation have surfaced that the impeached president instructed his security team to use firearms if necessary.

Discussions about deploying assault weapons, such as submachine guns, to block investigators from entering the presidential residence to arrest Yoon were reportedly held during a meeting of senior Presidential Security Service (PSS) officers on Sunday, led by acting PSS head Kim Sung-hoon.

On Saturday, Yoon summoned top PSS officials, urging them to “not hesitate to use weapons” to prevent investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) and police from detaining him, according to news reports.

An unidentified PSS agent told local broadcaster MBC TV that certain security guards, under Kim’s leadership, have begun arming themselves with high-calibre firearms.

“Hard-headed security guards are determined to use such weapons,” the agent said.

A PSS spokesman contacted by This Week in Asia declined to comment on the reports.