Police handling the December 3 martial law case failed to raid the presidential office on Wednesday after a ten-hour standoff with presidential security officials.

The special team, which attempted to execute a search warrant for the top office in Seoul’s Yongsan District, withdrew around 8:40 p.m., saying the top office and the Presidential Security Service submitted a statement indicating they did not approve the search.

In refusing to allow the search, the secret service agency reportedly cited Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which prohibit search and seizure operations at military facilities and other areas that handle confidential information without approval from the responsible authority or office.

Police said the agency instead agreed to voluntarily provide certain materials, including data from the secure phone server, adding that the two sides agreed to continue discussions regarding methods and procedures for submission of the data. 

The special team began its attempt to serve the warrant at the top office and the entrance to the presidential residence in the district’s Hannam neighborhood around 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The police suspect that former President Yoon Suk Yeol and secret service agents illegally obstructed Yoon’s arrest in January.