Soldiers of the 55th Guard Unit Deployed from the First Line of Defense
Police Confirm Deployment of the 33rd Military Police Security Unit as Well
Soldiers from the 55th Security Unit of the Army Capital Defense Command were confirmed to have been mobilized from the first line of defense during the execution of the arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 3rd.
Contrary to the Presidential Security Service's statement that no conscripted soldiers had been mobilized to block the execution of the arrest warrant, police footage reportedly captured their presence.
On the morning of the 3rd, as officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) entered the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, police were stationed in multiple layers guarding the main gate of the residence, with CIO vehicles parked in front.
According to a police official on the 6th, the first line of defense encountered by the high-ranking officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and police investigators who entered the presidential residence consisted of about 50 Presidential Security Service staff and 30 to 40 military personnel.
Based on analysis of the footage and a witness interview with the commander of the 55th Security Unit, the police identified the mobilized troops as soldiers belonging to the 55th Security Unit responsible for guarding the presidential residence fence.
The military personnel presumed to be soldiers in the footage did not wear rank insignia and were all uniformly dressed in black padded jackets, hats, and masks.
The Presidential Security Service has denied mobilizing the 55th Security Unit, stating, "In anticipation of intensified confrontation upon the arrival of the Corruption Investigation Office, we replaced personnel with Presidential Security Service staff, and the soldiers were reassigned to rear duties."
This explanation contradicts the police investigation results indicating that 55th Security Unit soldiers were mobilized from the frontline first line of defense. The dispute over the truth between both sides is expected to continue for the time being.
On the morning of the 3rd, people believed to be employees of the Corruption Investigation Office arrived in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol and are waiting at the main gate to enter the residence.
At the third line of defense, the police also identified that soldiers from the 33rd Military Police Escort Unit of the Capital Defense Command, responsible for presidential security, were mobilized alongside the 55th Security Unit.
About 200 personnel, including Presidential Security Service staff, soldiers from the 33rd Military Police Escort Unit, and the 55th Security Unit, formed a human chain, standing like a wall to block the Corruption Investigation Office's entry.
It was confirmed that soldiers from the 33rd Military Police Escort Unit also performed perimeter security duties.
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