Yoo Si-min: "What Would Deskbound Public Officials at the Corruption Investigation Office Know?"

"Claims 'Different from Police Who Cracked Down on Drug and Violent Organizations'"

Writer Yoo Si-min, former chairman of the People’s Life Party Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, strongly criticized the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Unit (HOCI) for ultimately giving up on executing the arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, calling them "desk-bound."

On the 6th, Yoo appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kwon Soon-pyo's News High Kick' and said, "Do you think (President Yoon’s arrest) would be that easy? The Presidential Security Service is equipped with powerful firepower and weapons. Do you think if they just went and said, 'We’re here to arrest you,' they would respond with 'Oh, welcome'?"

Author Yoo Si-min. Photo by MBC YouTube capture

He continued, "During the first execution attempt on the 3rd, the police suggested 'Let’s arrest the head and deputy head of the Security Service.' They should have done it then," and argued, "The HOCI prosecutors are people who passed exams well, but unlike the police who have experience eradicating drug and violent organizations and have even been stabbed, they lack that experience."

He added, "The police instinctively know that if you clash 'force against force,' you have to eliminate the leader to turn the group into a disorganized mob," and said, "They should have quickly arrested them when they came out, but what would desk-bound HOCI prosecutors know? That’s why the (arrest warrant) period was extended."

He also predicted that there might be physical clashes during the process of securing President Yoon’s custody. Yoo said, "Ruling party lawmakers are not armed, so they can just pull him out, but with the Security Service, it will ultimately be a confrontation of physical force against physical force," and added, "The physical force of the Security Service should be minimized, and military and police forces should be separated from the Security Service, leaving only the pure Security Office personnel."

He further stated, "HOCI prosecutors should take command but request the police to carry out the arrest, saying, 'We will do everything the police suggest, and if anything goes wrong, we will take responsibility.'"

Earlier, the joint investigation headquarters, which included HOCI and the National Police Agency’s Criminal Investigation Headquarters, re-requested an arrest warrant for President Yoon at the Seoul Western District Court on the 6th. Regarding this, HOCI explained, "This is a re-request to extend the validity period of the arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol." The original validity period of the arrest warrant was until midnight of that day.

HOCI had obtained the warrant from the Seoul Western District Court on the 31st of last month and attempted to execute it together with the police on the 3rd of this month, but the attempt was effectively thwarted by the Presidential Security Service.