Presidential Security Service Accompanies South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol into Detention Center for Protection

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was escorted to the Seoul Detention Center after being questioned for 11 hours by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO). During this unprecedented event, the Presidential Security Service (PSS) accompanied him into the detention center to ensure his safety, marking the first time in South Korea’s history that a sitting president was placed under such security measures.

On Wednesday morning, around 10:33 AM KST, Yoon was arrested at his official residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan, Seoul. He was then transported to the Corruption Investigation Office, where he was questioned from 11:00 AM to 9:40 PM for roughly 11 hours.

Throughout the day, the Presidential Security Service provided round-the-clock protection, conducting investigation security during the entire process, accompanying Yoon from the moment of his arrest through the end of the investigation.

Before transporting Yoon to the detention center, the security team inspected the facility in advance. About 30 minutes before Yoon’s arrival, three security personnel were seen exiting the main entrance, carrying equipment as they prepared for his entry.

These officers conducted a detailed inspection of the detention center to identify potential security risks. At the same time, other security team members assessed the surrounding area, including the terrain and the scale of police deployments, in preparation for any contingencies.

At around 9:40 PM KST, the vehicle carrying Yoon arrived at the Seoul Detention Center. As the Presidential Security Service vehicle pulled up, one security officer reportedly remarked, “Since it’s a 2-night, 3-day stay anyway, let’s maintain this security format,” before following the president into the facility.

The arrest and detention of a sitting president is a historic event in South Korea’s constitutional history. There are noting regulations governing security protocols for such a situation. This is the first time the Presidential Security Service has had to provide detention security inside a correctional facility.

For security reasons, details about how the Presidential Security Service operates within the detention center remain classified. The security team and the Seoul Detention Center are expected to discuss specific security procedures in the future.

Yoon will remain in a holding room reserved for suspects until a decision regarding the retention warrant is made. This room is a small, solitary confinement cell, measuring about three pyeong (roughly 9.9 square meters), and is separate from other detainees. During his detention, Yoon will not be required to wear prison clothing.

The detention center is reportedly monitoring his holding room with 24-hour closed-circuit television (CCTV) as a precautionary measure.