hello, i'm steve lai. thank you forjoining us. since daybreak, officials in south korea have been trying to arrest president yoon suk yeol over his attempt to impose martial law last month. investigators say they were left with no choice but to attempt to arrest an arrest, after president yoon failed to reply to multiple requests for questioning. the arrest itself is proving difficult. this is the live scene outside the president's official residence, with a stand—off. hundreds of his supporters have gathered outside, chanting, "stop the steal." mr yoon has been charged with insurrection and abuse of office, but says he will fight to the end. he is the first sitting korean president to face arrest. yoon�*s legal team were seen entering the compound of yoon�*s residence within the past hour. his lawyers have called the

arrest unlawful and said they would take legal action over the arrest warrant. the bbc team in seoul has been providing comprehensive coverage. jean mackenzie gave us this update. bi; coverage. jean mackenzie gave us this update.— us this update. by the time we woke up. _ us this update. by the time we woke up, there _ us this update. by the time we woke up, there was _ us this update. by the time we woke up, there was a - us this update. by the time we woke up, there was a huge - woke up, there was a huge police presence already here in the capital and they were cordoned off the rows leading to president yoon�*s address. there were dozens and dozens of police buses, thousands of officers here on the street. it was about 8:00 this morning that the first investigating officers went up to president yoon�*s residence to try and make this arrest. we know that, at first, they were blocked by military officials who were guarding mr yoon�*s compound. but they have now managed to get past them and they are up against the doors of president yoon�*s house, trying to get in. we can see from the pictures that they are being blocked by the presidential security service, who are refusing to

open the doors and let these officers go in and make this arrest. , . �* , , arrest. jean, we've been seeing live images _ arrest. jean, we've been seeing live images through _ arrest. jean, we've been seeing live images through the - live images through the morning, but this is the first time i think, in the last hour or so, we've heard the protesters' voices. i can tell it's hard for you to hear what i'm saying. but if you could just tell us a bit more about what yoon�*s supporters have been saying and how authorities have been managing the situation with them? yes, these protesters _ situation with them? yes, these protesters - _ situation with them? yes, these protesters - some _ situation with them? yes, these protesters - some of _ situation with them? yes, these protesters - some of them - situation with them? yes, these protesters - some of them havej protesters — some of them have been out here since this arrest warrant was issued — they have surrounded the residence from different directions, and they say they are out here to also try and stop the president being arrested. they have been riled up and they are angry. what they've been saying to us this morning, really, is they've been echoing some of these conspiracy theories that mr yoon alluded to when he placed or tried to place his country under martial law. the first one is that the elections that were held last year were rigged. the second one is that the country has been

infiltrated by these pro—north korean forces. these ideas have really taken hold amongst yoon�*s supporters over the past month. even though most of the country here is still very upset about mr yoon�*s decision to try and place his country under martial law, this core of his supporters have stayed loyal, and they are even being riled up being by the president himself, who came out a couple of days ago with this letter to them and thanked them for trying to protect him and trying to protect him and trying to protect the country, he said. so they really feel that they are out here doing this duty, trying to protect south korea. jean, we can see how fired up they are — we can hear it as well — butjust give us the context, though — the majority of south koreans are in favour of south koreans are in favour of impeaching and removing president yoon from office? yes, they are. and mr yoon was impeached three weeks ago by the parliament, so he has been suspended from office. he has

been stripped of all his powers. and the majority of people, as you say, supported that decision. the majority of people also want him to be arrested. but this is totally an uncharted situation for south korea. it has never had to deal with this before because this, as a you say, is the first time that a sitting president has ever faced an arrest, and that is why this situation is now so unclear. he is, as we say, still being protected by his security team, so that is why we are seeing this stand—off this morning. people are questioning whether he should still be protected by his security team, given that law enforcement officers are trying to exercise, trying to carry out, a legal arrest warrant. carry out, a legal arrest warrant-— carry out, a legal arrest warrant. jean mackenzie reporting _ warrant. jean mackenzie reporting there - warrant. jean mackenzie reporting there from - warrant. jean mackenzie - reporting there from outside the presidential residence. for more, i'mjoined by mj the presidential residence. for more, i'm joined by mj moon underwood, distinguished professor at the department of public policy and management. thanks forjoining me. as you've been watching events unfold this morning, what's been top of your mind? well, the korean — been top of your mind? well, the korean society _ been top of your mind? well,

the korean society has - been top of your mind? well, the korean society has been i the korean society has been going through an unrealistic, painful political drama for almost one month, almost. while there are a lot of issues we have been going through, it's not only a political drama — we are watching almost the next—last page of the drama. i think the executing of a warrant detaining mr yoon is the last one we are watching. a lot of korean people are really glued to their television this morning. now, of course, there's a stand—off for almost three hours. i think more than three hours. i think more than three hours. i think more than three hours at this point. hopefully the detention warrant is effectively executed. i'm sure there's a lot of differentiation between the corruption investigation agency and presidential security service. this morning, there

are some issues between the two, but hopefully the issue really is selling through. the president actually tried to give his message to the far—right supporters yesterday, so that's why a lot of his supporters are nearby the presidential residence. the positive side is that there has not been any serious physical confrontation at this point. i believe and hope that the detention warrant is swiftly executed, hopefully today, so that the situation is smoothly wrapped up and moved to the next stage of investigating. the final chapter will be a presidential election, once the constitutional court confirms the impeachment case, which will be an epiing all of this

story. b, will be an epiing all of this sto . �* ., ., , will be an epiing all of this sto .�* ., ., , ., will be an epiing all of this sto .�* ., ., ,., ., story. a lot of things have to ha en story. a lot of things have to happen before _ story. a lot of things have to happen before we _ story. a lot of things have to happen before we get - story. a lot of things have to happen before we get to - story. a lot of things have to | happen before we get to that point. we have seen a large police presence on the ground outside the presidential residence, keeping things in check so far — peaceful, as you mentioned. we did see, though, in the last hour, yoon�*s legal team entering the presidential residence. what do you make of that? ~ 4' residence. what do you make of that? ~ ~ , , that? well, i think probably final negotiations _ that? well, i think probably final negotiations and - that? well, i think probably final negotiations and also l final negotiations and also probably the dialogue with mr yoon so that they probably tried to find an exit scenario. so, probably they might have some serious discussions how to exit, and hopefully they collaborate with the corruption investigation agency. what investigation agency. what 0 tions investigation agency. what options are _ investigation agency. what options are open _ investigation agency. what options are open to - investigation agency. what i options are open to president yoon at the moment? i mean, he's not been taken by force — at the moment, it's a negotiation?- at the moment, it's a neuotiation? ., �* negotiation? right. i don't think he has _ negotiation? right. i don't think he has many - negotiation? right. i don't think he has many options| negotiation? right. i don't. think he has many options at this point. he has been refused

requests several times, and now we are in this situation. well, i think, according to the recent poll, majority of korean people are in favour of impeachment. and swift termination of a political consultancy. i think probably mobilised support might wane out so that probably the investigation and then the impeachment process will be accelerated after this.- accelerated after this. what does he have _ accelerated after this. what does he have to _ accelerated after this. what does he have to gain, - accelerated after this. what does he have to gain, then, accelerated after this. what i does he have to gain, then, by drawing this out? as you mentioned, public sentiment in south korea is very much in the majority in favour of him being impeached and being removed from office?— from office? well, a lot of --eole from office? well, a lot of people really _ from office? well, a lot of people really suspect - from office? well, a lot of people really suspect that| people really suspect that ultimately he really tried to delay the whole process, which means that the next presidential election will be delayed as well. because once

the impeachment is confirmed by the impeachment is confirmed by the constitutional court and then within 60 days we should have elections for the next president. i think that's — i think there is a political gaming. in the meantime, he tried to appeal to the far—right political supporters. all right. thanks very much for your thoughts today. do appreciate your time with us. mj moon, distinguished professor at the department of public policy and management. the secret service, which is responsible for the personal security of the president has

a military unit at the compound to guard the outer sectors of the compound. this military unit although it is a military unit does not control by the military, is controlled by the secret service. they know that theirjob is not to go against the law and, although we term it as a stand—off, i'm assuming that they were there just to get clear orders, and when they did stepped aside. i understand you mentioned earlier that you live near the presidential residence. give your back when you be familiar with the layout of the building itself. talk us through the challenges that investigators and officers will have in getting close and locating president yoon? the presidential compound is pretty close. the compound is about ten acres big.

there are a couple of residences — the president's residence, the residence of the foreign minister, the head of the secret service chief lives there as well, as well as some other houses. it's not that big, and the presidential house is not that far from the entrance. so it should not have taken people to get to the residence that long. it's only a couple hundred metres. so they're at the residence now trying to negotiate to get in to meet the president. do you think it willjust be purely through negotiation that they will be able to gain access to the president? yes, you know, it's a very difficult situation for everybody. the secret service, their mandate is quite clear but at the same

time they know in their hearts this is not the legal thing to do. the prosecutor's office know that they have to do this but they don't want to physically engage the secret service. there is a bit of a bind and i'm really disappointed that my president would put his own people in this situation. he should have the integrity to follow the law despite whatever deficiencies law has. what do you think will be the tipping point with this? we have about 20 seconds left with you. so, they think it will last for the entire day, hopefully it will end sooner than later. thank you very much which tenant general chun in—bum, commander of south korea's special forces.

we are watching this story closely as it unfolds and will bring you up to speed with all of the developments. for now, you can also log onto our website — bbc.com — where there's a live page ongoing for minute by minute updates. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

you're live with bbc news. back to our top story today: you're looking at live images in seoul, outside the presidential residence where hundreds of p