South Korea’s presidential guards and military troops prevented authorities from arresting Yoon Suk Yeol, the impeached president, on Friday in a tense six-hour stand-off inside his compound in the heart of Seoul.

Officials called off the effort due to concerns over the safety of its personnel after they were outnumbered by cordons of presidential security service personnel inside the compound.

Hundreds of South Koreans, bundled up against freezing temperatures and snow, rallied overnight into Sunday near the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as authorities prepared to renew their efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree.