Concerns Over Arresting a Suspect Caught in the Act... Changed Security Measures Compared to the First Arrest Warrant Execution

Security Officers Minimize Physical Clashes
Stirred by Internal Bulletin Board Post

On the 15th, when the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol began, a security service vehicle entered the presidential residence guard post in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

During the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit and the Security Office were able to avoid a strong confrontation, which is closely related to the internal dynamics of the Security Office. It is reported that the Security Office leadership's policy to block the warrant execution was shaken by internal opposition.

Security officers belonging to the Security Office did not actively obstruct the police and the Corruption Investigation Office's execution of the warrant on the 15th, minimizing physical clashes. A Security Office official stated, "There was a consensus among the security officers that obstructing the execution of the warrant could lead to arrest on the spot for the charge of obstructing special official duties."

During the first execution, the leadership's policy to block the warrant was very strong, and there was no room for legal judgment. However, during the second execution, concerns about charges related to obstructing special official duties increased, leading to an internal self-regulation function, according to analysis.

This internal turmoil within the Security Office was triggered when a Security Office executive posted on the internal bulletin board that "blocking the arrest warrant against President Yoon is illegal." Although this post was deleted under the direction of Deputy Director Kim Seong-hoon, who took over as acting director after former Director Park Jong-jun resigned, it was soon restored and is said to have played a decisive role in changing the sentiments of the security officers.

Accordingly, during the second execution of the arrest warrant, unlike the first time, security was carried out without significantly deviating from the primary mission of protecting the president's personal safety, but rather as a "minimum level of defense." Some security officers deviated from the leadership's policy to block the warrant execution and acted based on individual judgment. Some were reported to have passively responded to blocking the warrant execution by staying in standby within the residence or taking leave.