A Seoul court has issued an arrest warrant for South Korea’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol. The move follows Yoon’s highly controversial attempt to impose martial law on December 3 which eventually led to his impeachment, and comes after he ignored three summonses for questioning over the past fortnight.

Yoon is now the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to face arrest – a move investigators have 48 hours to carry out. However, as is often the case in South Korean political dramas it is possible authorities will not be able to even execute the warrant.

Yoon’s own security team and his supporters could well hinder the attempt, as has been seen in previous cases involving high-profile politicians and public officials. Earlier, searches of Yoon’s presidential office saw the presidential security service block investigators on court-approved searches from entering. The same happened at Yoon’s private residence according to sources in South Korea.

The now impeached Yoon has defended his decision to declare martial law, but in recent weeks has been banned from leaving the country after being suspended from his duties as president from December 14.

Meanwhile, the state remains in a form of limbo with opposition lawmakers still seeking to appoint three additional judges to the Constitutional Court. At present, only six judges currently sit on the court but a recent move to add three more was vetoed by then-acting-president Han Duck-soo.

Han has also now been impeached leaving Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is now serving as both acting president and acting prime minister in the breach.