Yoon Suk Yeol demonstrates defiance as the deadline for the arrest approaches

Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol remains defiant in his newly fortified residence with an arrest warrant on him short-term martial law expires on Monday.

Yun's security team, which prevented investigators from arresting him on Friday, installed barbed wire and barricaded the compound with buses over the weekend to prevent another attempt.

Yun had ignored multiple summonses to appear for questioning on charges of sedition and abuse of power before investigators showed up at his residence – only to call off their operation after a six-hour standoff with the presidential security service.

Investigators may try to extend their warrant. They told the BBC they had asked the police to execute him, hoping their efforts would carry more weight.

Public anger has spiraled in recent weeks as thousands of protesters braved heavy snow over the weekend, both in support of and against Yun.

South Korea has been in crisis for the past month since Yun tried to impose martial law, citing a threat from the North and “anti-state forces”. The fallout continues as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visits Seoul, seeking to stabilize ties ahead of Donald Trump's presidency.

Time is almost up for investigators handling the criminal case against Yoon.

Yun's lawyers argued that his arrest warrant was “illegal” because anti-corruption investigators did not have the authority to oversee a case as serious as a riot.

The presidential security team cited this as a reason for blocking Yun's arrest – along with the fact that Yun remains acting president until the constitutional court rules on his impeachment.

“For the PSS, whose primary mission is the absolute safety of the president, to comply with the execution of an arrest warrant amid ongoing litigation would be tantamount to dereliction of duty,” security chief Park Jong-jun said on Sunday .

Mr. Park has denied accusations that his team serves as a “private militia” for Yoon.

Yun's lawyers, who on Monday filed complaints against investigators over the attempted arrest, said Yun was “virtually detained at his residence.”

They also filed an injunction against the order, which was rejected by the court, and then said they were considering appealing the decision.

Meanwhile, acting President Choi Sang-mok resisted opposition calls to fire key security officials obstructing the arrest.

The BBC understands that opposition MPs have asked investigators to try to arrest Yun again, but “harder and with sufficient resources”.

Investigators may also request a new arrest warrant, which must be approved by a judge. This would allow Yoon to be held for up to 20 days, while the arrest warrant only allows him to be held for 48 hours.

But without a change in the situation or their approach, it seems unlikely that investigators or police will be able to make an arrest.

As seen last Friday, they may again be blocked by the presidential security service, which has formed a “human wall” to protect Yun. He himself vowed to “fight to the end”, dividing public opinion and galvanizing his supporters, who demonstrated for days in front of his home.

There is also a tense standoff raised urgent questions on the strength and effectiveness of South Korea's political and legal institutions.

The situation also has ramifications beyond domestic politics.

Until last month, the Biden administration had praised Yun, admiring his willingness to work with Washington to address security threats posed by North Korea and China. The US has made great efforts to help South Korea restore its strained relations with Japan so that the three countries can solve these problems together.

Mr Blinken's ongoing visit to Seoul, where he will meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Monday, therefore comes at a difficult time for these two allies.

Yun had not told the US of his plans to impose martial law, meaning Washington had no chance to dissuade him and was unprepared for the chaos that followed.

Blinken will not want to be drawn into the current political situation. Instead, he will want to focus on maintaining trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo after Biden's term.

Speaking at a joint press conference on Monday, Blinken said the US has “full confidence” in South Korea's institutions and reaffirmed the US government's “unwavering support” for the Korean people as they work tirelessly to uphold those institutions. .

“Over the past four decades, Korea has written one of the strongest, most inspiring democratic stories in the world,” Blinken said.

Korean democracy has been put to the test in recent weeks – just as American democracy has faced challenges throughout our history. But you respond by demonstrating your democratic resilience.”

But it is difficult to distinguish between domestic and geopolitical situations. South Korea may be months away from electing a new president, and that leader may want to break with Yun's foreign policy.

Trump, who enters the White House in two weeks, will also pursue his own agenda.

Additional reporting by Hosu Lee and Leehyun Choi in Seoul