IMPEACHED South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to “fight to the end” against “anti-state forces” today, as his legal team warned that police officers attempting to detain him could face arrest by his presidential security service or even ordinary citizens.

Mr Yoon’s latest statement of defiance came as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials prepared to execute a detainment warrant against him that was issued by a Seoul court on Tuesday.

The warrant, valid for one week, was issued after Mr Yoon evaded multiple requests to appear for questioning and blocked searches of his office, hindering an investigation into whether his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3 amounted to rebellion.

Oh Dong Woon, the anti-corruption agency’s chief prosecutor, has indicated that police forces might be deployed if Mr Yoon’s security service resists the detention attempt. But it remains unclear whether Mr Yoon can be compelled to submit to questioning.

The president's legal team issued a statement today warning that any attempt by the anti-corruption agency to use police units for his detention would exceed their legal authority.

The lawyers said police officers could face arrest by either the “presidential security service or any citizens” if they tried to detain Mr Yoon. They didn’t elaborate.

South Korean law permitting anyone to make an arrest to stop an crime in progress, critics accused Mr Yoon of inciting his supporters to obstruct attempts to detain him.

In a message to supporters gathered outside his residence on Wednesday evening, Mr Yoon said he would continue to fight anti-state forces “violating our sovereignty” and putting the nation in “danger.”

He applauded his supporters for their efforts to protect “liberal democracy and constitutional order” and said he was watching their protests on live YouTube broadcasts, according to a photo of the message shared by Mr Yoon’s lawyers.

On of them, Yoon Kap Keun, filed a challenge with the Seoul Western District Court today to block both the detention warrant for the president and a related search warrant for his residence. The lawyer argue that both warrants violate criminal laws and the constitution.

The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which drove the legislative vote that impeached Mr Yoon on December 14 over his imposition of martial law, accused the president of trying to mobilise his supporters to block his detention and called for law enforcement authorities to execute the warrant immediately.

Braving subzero temperatures, thousands of Mr Yoon’s supporters rallied for hours near his residence today amid a heavy police presence, waving South Korean and US flags while chanting: “Nullify the impeachment!” and “We will protect President Yoon Suk Yeol!”

Officers removed some protesters who lay down on a road leading to the entrance of Mr Yoon’s residence, but there were no immediate reports of major clashes.

“The Corruption Investigation Office must detain him immediately, and the presidential security service must co-operate with the lawful execution of the detainment warrant,” said Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan Dae.

“They should be aware that obstructing the execution of the detainment warrant could result in punishment for interference with official duties and complicity in rebellion,” he said.