Kim Seong-hoon, deputy director of the Presidential Security Service, appears at the special investigation team of the National Investigation Headquarters, Seoul, Jan. 17. Yonhap

Police on Friday detained the acting head of the Presidential Security Service (PSS) over allegations that he led efforts to block investigators from detaining impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Kim Seong-hoon, who took over as the acting head of the PSS last week after Park Chong-jun, the agency's former chief, resigned, was taken into custody immediately after he arrived at the National Office of Investigation's headquarters in western Seoul for questioning.

He is accused of obstructing investigators, led by the state anti-corruption agency, in their unsuccessful attempt to execute a warrant for Yoon's detention on Jan. 3 over his short-lived martial law imposition.

Kim's detention came after investigators took Yoon into custody Wednesday in their second attempt.

Before he was taken into custody, Kim told reporters outside the police building that he had carried out "legitimate security duties."

A warrant for Kim's detention was issued after he snubbed three summonses to appear for questioning. Police had initially sought to detain Kim on Wednesday but decided not to at the request of Yoon's side. (Yonhap)