SEOUL — Thousands of South Koreans braved a snowstorm on Sunday to rally in support of or opposition to President Yoon Suk-yeol, suspended over a failed martial law bid and resisting arrest a day before the warrant expires.

An attempt to arrest him by investigators on Friday failed when a tense six-hour standoff with his Presidential Security Service ended over security fears, with his supporters also camped outside.

Thousands descended on his residence again on Sunday despite bitter snow conditions blanketing Seoul — with one camp demanding Yoon's arrest while the other called for his impeachment to be declared invalid.

"Snow is nothing for me. They can bring all the snow and we'll still be here," said anti-Yoon protester Lee Jin-ah, 28, who had previously worked at a coffee shop.

Yoon faces criminal charges of insurrection, one of a few crimes not subject to presidential immunity, meaning he could be sentenced to prison or, at worst, the death penalty.

The country's opposition Democratic Party called on Saturday for the dissolution of the security service protecting Yoon.

On Sunday, Presidential Security Service chief Park Chong-jun said he had no intention of letting the investigators arrest Yoon by Monday's deadline, because those under his charge were legally obliged to protect the country's sitting leader.

"Executing an arrest warrant amid allegations of procedural and legal impropriety undermines the (security service's) fundamental mission of securing the president's absolute safety," Park, who has denied a police request for questioning, said in a speech.

The Constitutional Court slated Jan 14 for the start of Yoon's impeachment trial, which if he does not attend would continue in his absence.

However, the suspended leader plans to appear at "an appropriate session" of the trial's five hearings, his lawyer Yoon Kab-keun said on Sunday.

Agencies via Xinhua