President Yoon Fails to Appear for First CIO Investigation Scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 19th
President Yoon's Legal Team Issues Statement and Considers Requesting Review of Detention Legality
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) decided on the 20th at 10 a.m. to re-notify President Yoon Seok-yeol of the investigation schedule after he refused to appear for the first investigation since his arrest on the 19th.
Through a notice message on the same day, the Joint Investigation Headquarters stated that President Yoon did not appear for the CIO investigation scheduled for 2 p.m. that day, and "the CIO plans to notify suspect Yoon Seok-yeol to appear at 10 a.m. on the 20th."
The CIO announced its intention to conduct the investigation immediately at 2 p.m., just 11 hours after obtaining an arrest warrant for President Yoon from the Seoul Western District Court at around 2:50 a.m. that day, but President Yoon did not appear. Yoon's lawyer, Yoon Gap-geun, stated, "President Yoon will not appear at 2 p.m." and confirmed that he decided not to comply.
If President Yoon refuses to cooperate with the investigation on the 20th as well, the CIO is expected to consider forced detention or conducting the investigation at the detention center. President Yoon was only investigated once immediately after being arrested by the CIO on the 15th.
Meanwhile, President Yoon's legal team is reportedly reviewing all possible procedural responses, including filing a motion for a review of the legality of the detention, in protest against the court's issuance of what they call an "absurd arrest warrant."
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