Prosecutors' Office: "Access Permission for 55th Guard Unit Remains Valid... Additional Approval from Security Office Required"

HOSA Responds to Direct Rebuttal from Presidential Security Service

The Presidential Security Service has strongly denied reports that it approved the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency's (HOSA) access to the presidential residence, calling them "groundless," while HOSA explained that "the access permission is valid, but additional approval is required."

Security Office staff patrolling the Hannam-dong residence. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 14th, HOSA stated in a notice, "At around 2:55 PM, we received an official document from the 55th Security Unit granting access to the area subject to the arrest warrant," and "later at 4:24 PM, we received another official document from the 55th Security Unit stating that 'additional access approval must be obtained from the department in charge of access approval at the Presidential Security Service.'" This implies that while the 55th Security Unit's access permission document is valid, additional approval from the Presidential Security Service is necessary.

Earlier, when the Joint Investigation Headquarters (JIH) announced that it had received an official document from the 55th Security Unit stating "access is permitted," the Presidential Security Service immediately refuted this through a media notice, saying, "We consider it unapproved as it did not go through the Security Service's review," and added, "We plan to take security measures according to proper procedures."

Furthermore, in an additional notice, they reiterated, "Reports by some media outlets today claiming that the Presidential Security Service is processing HOSA's access approval procedures and that the 55th Security Unit approved access to the presidential residence area are completely false."

The police and HOSA are preparing for the second execution of the arrest warrant against President Yoon. There are also prospects that the execution could take place as early as the 15th.