Yoon 'trying to incite clashes in fight to end'

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol remained defiantly inside his residence resisting arrest for a third day, vowing to "fight until the end" authorities seeking to question him over his martial law bid.

The embattled leader issued the bungled declaration on December 3 that led to his impeachment and has left him facing arrest, imprisonment or, at worst, the death penalty.

Members of his security team have blocked attempted police raids of his presidential residence in a dramatic stand-off, and tensions rose outside the compound yesterday as rival protest camps clashed.

"We had to withdraw. Most participants were hit and assaulted multiple times by those waving national flags," said Bae Hoon, a 46-year-old protesting for Yoon's removal.

Some of Yoon's right-wing supporters earlier shouted "protect the president!" and laid on the ground to block police dispersing them for fear they will move on Yoon before an arrest warrant's Monday deadline.

"We expect the Corruption Investigation Office will enter through the main gate so our colleagues are lying down," protester Rhee Kang San, 35, said.

Yoon has gone to ground but remained unrepentant as the crisis has rolled on, issuing a defiant message to his base as the warrant's Monday deadline neared.

"The Republic of Korea is currently in danger due to internal and external forces threatening its sovereignty," he said in a statement to protesters confirmed by his lawyer.

"I vow to fight alongside you to the very end to protect this nation," he added, saying he was watching their protest on YouTube.

Opposition lawmakers were quick to condemn Yoon's message as inflammatory, with Democratic Party spokesman Jo Seoung Lae calling him "delusional" and accusing him of trying to incite clashes.

Yoon's legal team has filed for an injunction to a constitutional court to block the warrant, calling the arrest order "an unlawful and invalid act", and yesterday submitted an objection to the Seoul court that ordered it.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE