President Yoon Suk Yeol is officially under investigation on suspicion of obstructing the execution of his arrest warrant.

Police made the announcement Friday, saying the president is suspected of special obstruction of public duty. 

But as a sitting president, Yoon cannot be indicted on this charge.  

The special police team handling the martial law case reportedly obtained secure text messages exchanged between Yoon and Kim Sung-hoon, deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, regarding the state anti-corruption body’s moves to arrest Yoon. 

Yoon and Kim reportedly exchanged texts January 3, when the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials(CIO) made its first attempt to arrest the president. 

Yoon reportedly exchanged texts with Kim on January 7 as well, instructing the security service to actively block his arrest if the CIO were to make a second attempt. 

A police official refused to confirm details of the text messages.