The Subunit of the Defense Security Command That Blocked the Execution of President Yoon's Arrest Warrant [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club]

Presidential Security Service's Subordinate Unit, 55th Guard Battalion of the Defense Security Command
Unit Connected to Former Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Mr. Noh Sang-won

The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit, which has initiated the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol, is currently in a standoff with military forces inside the Hannam-dong presidential residence on the 3rd. The unit responsible for guarding the residence is the Army's Capital Defense Command 55th Security Group. It has been reported that regular soldiers from the Capital Defense Command, not the Presidential Security Service, have been deployed to block the execution of the arrest warrant.

Yonhap News

In the past, when the presidential residence was located within the Blue House in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the Capital Defense Command and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's 101st and 202nd Security Groups divided the surrounding area for security duties. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's 101st Security Group had been responsible for the outer perimeter security of the Blue House since the establishment of the Presidential Security Service in 1963. Originally named the Blue House Detachment, it was renamed to its current title in 1976.

However, in 2022, when President Yoon Suk-yeol moved into the Hannam-dong residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, the military designated the area as a 'Military Facility Protection Zone (Restricted Protection Zone),' changing the security responsibilities. The Ministry of National Defense typically includes an area within 500 meters outside the military facility as a 'protection zone' when designating such zones. This restricts access, aircraft landings, and construction within 500 meters of the facility to serve as a buffer zone for protection. For the Hannam-dong presidential residence, the Ministry designated only the area inside the fence, i.e., the on-base area, as the military facility protection zone.

As a result, the 55th Security Group of the Capital Defense Command is responsible for guarding the presidential residence. This unit handles the outer perimeter security within the residence. According to the Presidential Security Act and related laws, it is assigned to and serves under the Presidential Security Service. Therefore, the command and control authority over the 55th Security Group lies with the Security Service, and the military itself reportedly holds no separate authority.

The 55th Security Group is also a unit historically connected to former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won, who led the martial law. In 1989, Kim, then a major and operations officer of the 55th Security Battalion, served alongside Noh, who was a captain. Even then, the 55th Security Battalion, part of the Capital Defense Command, guarded the Blue House fence and was operated almost as a unit directly under the Presidential Security Office.

On the same day, Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-gyu told reporters, "The military personnel (55th Security Group) supporting the outer perimeter security of the residence are controlled by the Security Service," adding, "The Ministry of National Defense cannot confirm the exact situation." Regarding criticism that conscripted soldiers were deployed in acts subject to criminal punishment, the spokesperson said, "We need to verify the evidence to determine if they were deployed in illegal situations," and added, "The Ministry is not clearly aware of the situation that occurred on-site today."

The clash between military personnel and the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit was anticipated since the arrest warrant for President Yoon was issued on the 31st of last month. When asked whether there was prior consultation with the Security Service, the Ministry of National Defense only responded, "We will check."

During the emergency martial law on December 3rd, many conscripted soldiers were also deployed as martial law troops. The Capital Defense Command deployed a total of 61 soldiers, including 42 from the Military Police Battalion and 19 from the 1st Security Group, to block the National Assembly. The Special Forces also deployed troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, mobilizing conscripted soldiers as support personnel such as drivers.

However, there is speculation that soldiers and junior military officers who were mobilized under commanders' orders during the emergency martial law are unlikely to be prosecuted for charges such as treason.