Lee Su-jeong "Citizens Injured by Prosecution Service's Use of Force... Feeling Like Coughing Up Blood"

"Unjust Execution of the Warrant"
"We Must Win the Next Election"

Professor Lee Su-jeong of the Department of Crime Correctional Psychology at Kyonggi University (Chairperson of the People Power Party's Suwon-Jeong District Committee in Gyeonggi) harshly criticized the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HCIA) that arrested President Yoon Seok-yeol.

On the 15th, Professor Lee posted on her social media account, "Citizens were injured due to the use of force in executing a problematic warrant, not the legitimate exercise of public authority by the HCIA and the police," and stated, "We must remember this dawn." She continued, "Over 30 impeachment attempts and numerous acts of violence, resulting in the president's martial law and national turmoil. We must unite and work together to win from the next election onward," adding, "I express with a bleeding heart that the idea of fair competition was foolish."

Professor Lee Su-jeong, Department of Crime Correction Psychology, Kyonggi University. Photo by Heo Young-han

The HCIA and police began executing the arrest warrant around 4:20 a.m. that day. The police deployed 1,200 personnel from the National Police Agency's Special Investigation Unit and the Seoul, Southern Gyeonggi, Northern Gyeonggi, and Incheon Metropolitan Investigation Units, while the HCIA sent 40 prosecutors and investigators. They presented the arrest and search warrants to President Yoon's legal team, but lawyer Yoon Gap-geun argued, "There are no exceptions under Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act in the warrant. This is an illegal execution and amounts to rebellion," resisting the action. In response, the police repeatedly warned, "If you obstruct the execution of the warrant, you may be arrested on the spot for obstructing official duties."

The HCIA and police attempted forced entry at the entrance of the presidential residence, and about 30 People Power Party lawmakers and President Yoon's lawyers formed a human chain to block the arrest, holding out for over an hour. The Security Office leadership initially announced a tough response, but among frontline security staff, concerns about potential charges for obstructing special official duties caused cracks to appear. Ultimately, the HCIA and police opened the third blockade gate and allowed the warrant execution investigation team’s vehicle to enter, securing President Yoon's custody. Shortly after the arrest, around 10:35 a.m., President Yoon boarded a security vehicle, left the Hannam-dong residence in Seoul, and was taken to the HCIA office at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. This was the first case in constitutional history where a sitting president was arrested by an investigative agency on criminal charges.

Immediately after the arrest became known, President Yoon issued a "Message to the People," stating, "Although this is an illegal investigation, I have decided to comply with the HCIA's summons to prevent an unfortunate bloodshed," but also clarified, "I do not acknowledge this HCIA investigation." Furthermore, he lamented, "Unfortunately, the law in this country has completely collapsed," and said, "It is truly deplorable to witness illegal acts upon illegal acts being carried out and coercive procedures being conducted based on invalid warrants."