The failed attempt to arrest the president of South Korea explained

After a six-hour standoff with security, South Korean police stopped an attempt to arrest suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol.

The military and Yoon's security officials formed a human wall and used vehicles to block the way of the arrested team, local newspaper Yonhap reported.

Yoon is being investigated for abusing his power and fomenting rebellion when he tried to impose martial law in early December.

The move, though short-lived, led to a political crisis as Yoon was ousted by the opposition-led parliament and suspended from office.

Seoul court issued a warrant for his arrest earlier this week after ignoring three subpoenas to appear for investigation.

Had they succeeded, Yoon would have become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be imprisoned.

As of Friday morning, dozens of police vans lined the street outside Yoon's house in central Seoul.

At around 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT), an arrest team made up of police and CIO members marched towards the compound.

The operation started with a group of 20 people, but quickly grew to about 150 people. Even then there were few.

Although about half of the team managed to get inside, they were trapped for hours in a tussle with security officials – who are still responsible for protecting Yoon, even though he has been stripped of his powers – and the military unit responsible for protecting the city of Seoul.

At one point, Yoon's security team clashed with “investigating officers,” a Joint Chiefs of Staff official told AFP.

“We found that an arrest would not be possible,” said the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is investigating Yoon's temporary declaration of martial law last month.

Yoon's “refusal of the legal process” is “very regrettable”, the CIO said, adding that the next steps will be decided after the review.

Yoon's supporters who have been camping in front of the president's house for days were happy with song and dance as his suspension was announced. “We won!” they sang.

The CIO said concern for the team's safety on the ground was another factor in their decision to call off the arrest attempt.

This development is not unexpected, given Yoon's disdain throughout the investigation process.

Experts say that as a former chief prosecutor, Yoon is well aware of the legal loopholes that exist to protect him.

Investigators have until January 6 to arrest him before the deadline expires.

This means that they may try to arrest Yoon again over the weekend, although this may prove to be a challenge as the crowds can be overwhelming.

They can also apply for a new warrant and try to lock him up again.

Before the attempt was called off, Yoon's security team told the media that they were “negotiating” with investigators seeking access to the president.

The police charged the head of Yoon's security division and his deputy with criminal charges, and called them in for questioning, according to Yonhap.

Yoon's legal team was also seen entering the residence late in the afternoon.

His lawyer Yoon Gab-keun earlier said they would take legal action against the warrant, saying investigators did not have the authority to detain him.

Meanwhile, Park Chan-dae, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, criticized Yoon for not supporting his leadership. He promised to take legal and political responsibility for his failed attempt at martial law.

“[It was] a complete lie,” Park said, urging the CIO to try to arrest Yoon again today.

The CIO, which has only been in place for four years, was created in response to public anger at former president Park Geun-hye and her extremism. He was impeached in parliament in December 2016, and removed from office three months later.

The extent of the CIO's authority, however, has been challenged by other agencies – and its failure to deal with Yoon could be seen as an embarrassing loss.

South Korea has been in political turmoil since the Dec. 3 military coup, with fissures opening in parliament between Yoon's followers and those who want to remove him from office.

The days and nights of protests culminated in the opposition-dominated parliament voting to impeach Yoon on December 14, their second attempt to do so after most members of his ruling party boycotted the first vote.

Two weeks later, parliament voted to remove him from office, acting president Han Duck-soo – the first time that an acting president has been removed from office since South Korea became a democracy.

Han was supposed to lead the country through its political turmoil, but opposition MPs say he is rejecting demands to complete Yoon's impeachment plan.

On Friday, prosecutors also charged treason against Park An-su, who was appointed military chief during the short notice, and special forces commander Kwak Jong-geun, according to Seoul-based Yonhap news agency.

They must face the crime in prison.

Additional reporting by Jake Kwon in Seoul