The former president has refused to be questioned three times since issuing the December 3 martial law decision.
South Korea's anti-corruption agency says it has extended the court-ordered period to arrest ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The Chief Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) on Tuesday did not immediately confirm how long the warrant would remain in effect. After a previous attempt to arrest Yoon was thwarted by the Presidential Security Service last week, investigators applied for an extension of the warrant, which was due to expire on Monday.
The Seoul Western District Court initially issued an arrest warrant for Yoon, as well as a search warrant for his residence, after he defied authorities by refusing to appear for questioning under martial law on December 3.
Dozens of anti-corruption agency investigators and police officers tried to arrest Yoon on Friday, but they withdrew from his Seoul residence after a standoff with the Presidential Security Service that lasted more than five hours.
The disagreement has continued for now. Most of Yoon's supporters camped outside the presidential palace despite the freezing weather.
On Monday, members of his People Power Party arrived in front of his house along with the police, blocking the roads.
However, investigators have yet to make another attempt to arrest the ousted head of state.
'I'm so sorry'
CIO chief Oh Dong-woon apologized on Tuesday for the failed first arrest attempt, saying he was “heartbroken”.
“I must convey my deepest apologies to the public for failing to issue an arrest warrant because of the security measures taken by the Presidential Security Service,” he told MPs in Parliament.
The CIO was established less than four years ago and has less than 100 employees, who have yet to prosecute one case.
Yoon is being investigated for “treason” and, if formally arrested and convicted, faces a prison sentence or the death penalty. His failed martial law plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.
He will be the first sitting president in the history of South Korea to be arrested. His lawyers also said the warrant to begin with was “illegal” and “unlawful”, vowing to take legal action against him.
They said that the CIO does not have the authority to investigate because treason is not included in the list of cases it can investigate.
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