A tense confrontation took place at President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residential compound earlier today between his security officials and authorities seeking his arrest.
Our correspondent Kim Do-yeon reports.
The first ever attempt to detain a sitting president was halted after a 5-hour stand-off between investigators and the Presidential Security Service, that included, some physical confrontations.
On Friday at 8 AM, staff from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, attempted to execute the arrest warrant at the presidential residence.
However, they called off the attempt after five hours, as they found it impossible to carry out the arrest due to the Presidential Security Service’s refusal to comply with their requests, and there were concerns over the safety of the investigators on the scene.
The CIO, on leaving the site issued a statement saying, “We express serious regret over the behavior of the suspect who refused to comply with legally set procedures.”
According to police who supported the warrant execution process, the Presidential Security Service, citing the Presidential Security Act, wouldn’t allow further access into the residential area around 200 meters from the house.
The CIO also told reporters that there were around 200 PSS agents and military personnel that created a human wall, while there were only 20 CIO agents and 80 police officers to execute the secondary search warrant.
With the failed first attempt, the joint investigation team made up of CIO staff and police said they have opened a case against PSS chief Park Chong Jun for possible obstruction of the performance of official duties, and summoned him for questioning on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the legal team of President Yoon repeated that the warrant was illegally issued, and thus was not valid.
It added that the CIO, which does not have the authority to investigate insurrection charges, utilizing police officers to gain access into a security zone was illegal.
The warrant is valid until next Monday, and more attempts to detain President Yoon could be made.
For now, the CIO is yet to reveal what its next move will be in attempting to execute the warrant.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.
Source : Arirang TV, https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=279585
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