South Korea’s recently impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested in relation to his unexpected declaration of martial law last month, marking the first time in the nation that an incumbent president has been taken into custody.

Wednesday’s successful arrest comes after anti-corruption investigators abandoned their first attempt to execute an arrest warrant at Yoon’s Seoul residence in a six-hour standoff on January 3. Following the failed arrest earlier this month, a South Korean court granted an extension to the warrant to prevent its expiration date.

Authorities have been trying to bring Yoon into custody after he repeatedly defied summonses to appear for questioning. The sitting president’s impeachment trial started this week, but it ended within four minutes due to his absence. Yoon is being investigated for insurrection.

A conservative, Yoon was impeached on December 14 after the first impeachment motion failed to pass South Korea’s parliament, the National Assembly, the week before. He is suspended from his duties until the Constitutional Court of Korea decides to remove him or restore his powers within six months of the impeachment date.

His martial law declaration lasted only six hours on December 3 until the National Assembly unanimously agreed to overturn it. Before it was lifted, all political activities were banned. Members of the parliament pushed to lift the order. Yoon abided by the legislative body’s recommendation and retracted the declaration.

Yoon vowed to root out “anti-state forces” that allegedly plotted rebellion and sympathized with North Korean communists, seemingly referring to the opposition party’s control of the National Assembly. He did not elaborate on the supposedly nefarious actors at the time. The controversial move, which hadn’t been invoked since 1980, was strongly denounced by his own party and the opposition.

Investigators can keep Yoon in detention for 48 hours, but they will need to request another warrant to keep him in custody for up to 20 days beyond the arrest.

Yoon said in a video statement that he agreed to appear before South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials to prevent any unnecessary “bloodshed,” even though he considers the investigation to be illegal.

“Even though I am experiencing such illegal acts and am at a disadvantage,” Yoon said, “I hope that this will not happen to our citizens in the future when they experience criminal cases.”

As authorities approached his doorstep, 3,200 riot officers and 160 police buses were deployed to quell any protests. Yoon’s supporters reportedly scuffled with police, while anti-Yoon protesters cheered as the president was arrested.

The embattled leader said the rule of law in South Korea has deteriorated and that the country’s authorities lacked the power to issue him an arrest warrant, which he called “invalid.”

“Seeing the people, especially our youth, truly re-recognize the value of liberal democracy and show passion for it, I have come to think that although the law is collapsing and these are very dark times, the future of this country is hopeful,” he said. “Citizens, I hope you stay healthy and strong.”