We're pausing our live coverage for now. Here's a recap of all that unfolded in South Korea over the past several hours:

• Police raided the presidential office a week after President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law in the country. Yoon was not in the office at the time, according to reports. nvestigators were tasked to seize records related to cabinet meetings held on the night of the martial law declaration.
• The National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Police Guards were also raided
• Former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide while in custody late on Tuesday, a justice ministry official told parliament, adding that he is in good health
• The president and his allies are currently facing insurrection charges, and a travel ban has been slapped on several of them. Kim, who reportedly proposed martial law to the president, was arrested on Tuesday
• North Korean media reported on the martial law declaration on Wednesday, calling it an "insane" attempt by a "fascist dictator"

The net is closing in on Yoonpublished at 04:59 Greenwich Mean Time 11 December

04:59 GMT 11 December

Laura Bicker

This really is an increasing amount of pressure that is being put on President Yoon as he clings to office. Not only is he under a travel ban and cannot leave the country, he is also the subject to an investigation into whether he led an insurrection last week when he briefly imposed martial law.

But the Head of the Corruptions Investigations Office has said that if the situation warrants it, he “will attempt an emergency arrest of the president.”

No sitting president has ever been arrested in South Korea. But several have been prosecuted after they were removed or stepped down from office. There are reports in local media that President Yoon is preparing his own defence team, so he himself may see the net beginning to close.

His own party, the ruling PPP failed to vote for impeachment last Saturday, but his position as president is undoubtedly untenable.

What is still unclear is how they will remove him from office. Will they now vote to impeach him this Saturday when the next vote is held?

The ruling People Power Party's (PPP) representative Kim Jae-seop has showed support for Yoon's impeachment, calling for the entire party to "support" this.

This makes him the sixth ruling party MP who have said they will cast their ballot when the next impeachment motion is put to a vote - likely on Saturday.

This comes after a mass walkout by PPP members last Saturday, leaving the National Assembly with too few members for the vote to count.

Kim said he did not vote last Saturday because he "thought the president needed time to sort things out" before resigning.

The opposition, which has 192 seats in parliament, needs at least 8 ruling party members to vote for impeachment in order for it to succeed.

PPP MPs Ahn Chol-soo, Kim Ye-ji and Kim Sang-wook were the only MPs who remained in the voting chamber last Saturday, and will presumably vote again this Saturday.

Kim Sang-wook, who voted against impeachment, said yesterday that he will support it in the next vote.

PPP reps Cho Kyoung-tae and Bae Hyun-jin have also said they are voting on Saturday, though it is unclear which way they will vote.

Tessa Wong

Yoon has so far survived an impeachment vote and multiple calls for him to step down. But the raids today may signal that the inevitable is looming, according to Mason Richey, an associate professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.

"The raids mean that investigations are picking up pace, including for Yoon," he told the BBC.

"Given what we think we know as of now, Yoon will likely be impeached sooner rather than later. Either before or after, he will probably also face arrest, questioning, and eventually charges for insurrection."

"The situation still remains fluid, however," added Prof Richey. Yoon could resign, avoiding impeachment but not insurrection charges.

Another scenario could see Yoon eventually pardoned or given immunity through one mechanism or another, he said.

Last Tuesday night, Yoon declared martial law in South Korea.

In a little less than six hours after that, he was forced to walk back his shock announcement after lawmakers scrambled to block it.

But those were chaotic hours, sparking protests, fear and uncertainty in the country that had elected him.

You can read more from our recap on what happened that night here.

Jake Kwon
Reporting from Seoul

The president's security team was not told about the search beforehand, according to local media reports.

The last time a president’s office was searched was December 2019 over a corruption accusation into the former vice mayor of Busan. The prosecution did not get inside the office grounds at the time but was handed the material by the office, as per protocol.

At the time, the country was led by former president Moon Jae-in, with Yoon only assuming the role in 2022.

The magnitude of this raid will differ depending on whether the officers are going inside the presidential office or are simply being handed materials by the office.

Jean Mackenzie
Seoul correspondent

Image source, Reuters

The president is now being investigated from many directions – by police, prosecutors, and anti-corruption officials.

And yesterday, the opposition managed to secure an independent investigation into his failed attempt to impose martial law.

He has been accused of treason, a crime he doesn’t have immunity from as president, and investigators have said they will arrest him if sufficient evidence emerges.

The country is in political turmoil. It’s unclear what, if any, authority Yoon now has, and protesters are still on the streets calling for him to stand down.

Overnight, the former defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, tried to take his life in custody. He’s accused of helping to lead the martial law effort, and is the highest-ranking official to have been arrested so far.

More details are emerging on today's raids. According to news site Yonhap, 18 investigators were sent to the presidential office to seize records related to a cabinet meeting held on the night of the martial law declaration.

President Yoon, who was among the suspects listed on the search warrant, was not in his office during the raids.

As we mentioned earlier, investigators have also been sent to the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Police Guards to gather evidence on how events in the National Assembly unfolded last Tuesday night.

Since the chaos of last Tuesday, it is unclear how much power Yoon still holds.

The head of his party, Han Dong-hoon, has said that Yoon would no longer be involved in state affairs until his early exit from power is arranged - adding that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would manage government affairs in the meantime.

Details of the ruling party's early exit "roadmap" for Yoon are expected to come closer to Saturday.

However, according to the defence ministry, said Yoon still has command of the armed forces.That means in the event of any foreign policy incidents, including any possible threat from North Korea, Yoon is still, in theory, able to make executive decisions.

Yoon himself has only made one public appearance since his botched martial law attempt. In his public statement Saturday, he apologised for declaring martial law.

Image source, Reuters

North Korea publicly commented on Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law for the first time on Wednesday and accused the president of trying to run a "fascist dictatorship".

An article on page six of the North's state newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Wednesday said Yoon's "insane act" was "akin to the coup d'etat of the decades-ago military dictatorship era".

"He brazenly brandished blades and guns of fascist dictatorship at his own people," the article said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is himself known for his unpredictability and provocative foreign policy style.

More on Pyongyang's comments here.

Image source, EPA

It has been a chaotic week in South Korea since President Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration late last Tuesday.

Calls have been growing for Yoon to step down. Protesters have been out on the streets and workers have gone on strike in Seoul calling for the president's removal.

However, a vote on whether to impeach him last Saturday failed - all but three MPs from Yoon's ruling People Power Party left the voting chamber ahead of it.

The opposition, which has a parliamentary majority, have said it will propose a new impeachment today, which will be put to a vote this Saturday.

Authorities have since placed travel bans on Yoon and other leaders, including former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Many have also stepped down from their posts.

Even before declaring martial law, Yoon had faced decreasing popularity. His approval ratings tumbled to a record low of 13%, according to a survey last Friday.

The head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has said that his office would seek Yoon's arrest if conditions are met.

Earlier this morning, Oh Dong-woon also said during a parliamentary legislation committee meeting that his team is conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. When asked if he had the "will" to arrest Yoon, he answered that he had "plenty of will".

The speaker of the National Assembly and opposition politician Woon Woo-shik, has said he has invoked his authority to conduct a parliamentary probe into Yoon, reports Yonhap.

It is one of several investigations that have been launched by various branches of the government into Yoon's imposition of martial law.

A parliamentary probe is needed so that they can obtain a testimony from Yoon that can be made public, said Woon, who added that a special committee will be formed to handle the investigation.

Image source, Reuters

Former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide while in detention, South Korea's justice ministry said.

Kim tried to kill himself late last night and gave up when he was discovered. He is currently being kept in a guarding room and "has no current health issues", the ministry told parliament.

Kim reportedly proposed the martial law declaration to the president. He resigned last Thursday, saying he took full responsibility for it.

As we mentioned earlier, apart from the presidential office, South Korean police have also raided the offices of Seoul Metropolitan Police and the National Assembly Police Guards.

Yoon was not in the presidential office during the raid, according to the Yonhap news agency.

Yvette Tan
Live editor

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of an ongoing raid of South Korea's presidential office.

Local media are reporting that a special investigation unit of South Korea's police is conducting the raid over President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration.

The National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Security Service are also being raided.

A justice ministry official has also told parliament that the country's former defence minister, who played a key role in the botched martial law attempt, had attempted suicide inside a detention centre.

We will bring you more updates as we get them.