South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's security chief said on Friday the impeached leader, who faces arrest over a criminal probe into his Dec. 3 martial law bid, has been unfairly treated for a sitting leader and warned bloodshed must be avoided.

The Presidential Security Service is facing additional criticism over its move to block the enforcement of an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, after it was revealed that its use of military personnel to do so came in the face of explicit opposition from the acting defense minister.

Critics of the presidential security service call it a relic from the days of South Korea's strongman leaders.

SEOUL -- Chief of South Korea's presidential security service, Park Jong-joon, on Sunday vowed to keep blocking an attempt to arrest the impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol.

South Korean presidential security chief Park Chong-jun plans to appear for questioning by police on Friday, a spokesperson for the security service said. Investigators seeking to arrest South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for possible insurrection were blocked by his security staff in a six-hour standoff last week.

SEOUL (Reuters) -Authorities sought on Friday to execute an arrest warrant for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, as a crowd of protesters faced off with police outside his residence and vowed to block any attempt.

With a warrant out for his arrest, South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol has hunkered down in his hillside villa for weeks. Investigators failed to detain him Jan. 3. As they prepare a new attempt, presidential guards are fortifying the residence.