SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s recently impeached president, Park Geun-hye, was arrested on Friday, becoming the first South Korean leader to be put behind bars since the mid 1990s, when two former military dictators were imprisoned on corruption and mutiny charges.

Ms. Park’s dramatic downfall capped months of turmoil and intrigue, as huge crowds took to the streets to protest a sprawling corruption scandal that shook the interlocking worlds of government and business — including the leadership of Samsung, the nation’s largest conglomerate.

A judge at the Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant early Friday morning, warning that if Ms. Park were not taken into custody quickly she might “destroy evidence.” The charges against her include bribery, extortion and abuse of power.

In December, the National Assembly voted overwhelmingly to impeach Ms. Park, and she was formally removed from office on March 10.