Yoon Suspected Individual Spotted... Presidential Office Reports OhmyNews for Filming Around the Residence

Presidential Office "Violation of Military Base and Facility Protection Act"
OhmyTV Captures Person Presumed to Be Yoon at Residence That Day
Analysis Suggests Appearance on Day of 'Yoon Escape Theory'

The entrance to the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, heading to President Yoon Suk-yeol, was blocked by buses on the morning of the 8th, the day after the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency obtained an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol again. Photo by Yonhap News

The Presidential Office filed a complaint on the 8th against OhmyNews (OhmyTV), which filmed the area around the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

On that day, OhmyTV reported footage showing a figure presumed to be President Yoon Seok-yeol on the road near the residence, which appears to have been the issue.

The Presidential Office announced in a press release in the afternoon, "Today, OhmyNews (OhmyTV) was reported for violating the Military Bases and Military Facilities Protection Act."

The office stated, "The accused filmed and reported the area around the residence without permission. The residence area is a military facility protection zone where the incumbent president and head of state reside, a security facility directly related to national security, and unauthorized filming can be punished under relevant laws."

It added, "Accordingly, the Presidential Office expresses strong regret along with the complaint and will respond strongly to such illegal acts in the future."

The video filmed by OhmyTV on that day captured a figure presumed to be President Yoon.

The figure presumed to be President Yoon descended along the road toward the entrance of the residence around 12:53 PM with three to four men. A blockade was set up here to prevent the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon by the Joint Investigation Headquarters.

The individual appeared to give instructions by pointing with his hand toward men who seemed to be security staff and stayed for about seven minutes before walking back toward the residence.

The way he walked with arms and legs spread wide resembled President Yoon’s usual gait, leading to speculation that it was him.

However, it has not yet been confirmed whether this man was actually President Yoon.

In political circles, as rumors of President Yoon’s escape spread that day, there was analysis that he might have deliberately appeared to maintain discipline among the security staff guarding the residence.

Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, wrote on his social media (SNS) Facebook, "Around 12:50 PM today, media reported, 'A man presumed to be Yoon Seok-yeol at the residence was spotted.' The gait and gestures are exactly like Yoon Seok-yeol."

Park analyzed, "This was a move to dispel rumors of escape and, above all, a thoroughly calculated action to reassure the security staff who were shaken by saying, 'I am still here.'"

Ahn Kyu-baek, also a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, appeared on KBS Radio's 'Jeonggyeok Sisa' that morning and said, "According to the information I received, (President Yoon) has already left Yongsan and is hiding at a third location," adding, "I received a tip."