The Corruption Investigation Office Attempts Forced Summons to President Yoon's Investigation Room

CIO Sends Six Prosecutors and Investigators to Seoul Detention Center

President Yoon's security vehicle entering Seoul Detention Center. Photo by Yonhap News

The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit is attempting to forcibly summon President Yoon Seok-yeol.

According to the legal community on the 20th, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) sent prosecutors and investigators to Seoul Detention Center in the afternoon to forcibly bring President Yoon to the interrogation room.

The Emergency Martial Law Joint Investigation Headquarters, which includes the CIO and the police, stated, "Around 3 p.m. today, the CIO visited Seoul Detention Center with prosecutors and investigators to summon suspect Yoon Seok-yeol for questioning."

A CIO official explained, "Six prosecutors and investigators went to the detention center in two vehicles to forcibly summon President Yoon," adding, "The current situation is unknown."

President Yoon, who was arrested on the 15th, refused to comply with the CIO's summons for questioning on the 16th and 17th. Even after being detained in the early hours of the 19th, the CIO notified him twice?once at 2 p.m. that day and again at 10 a.m. today?to appear for questioning, but he did not respond.

The CIO previously stated that since President Yoon did not appear for questioning today without any contact, they are seriously considering forcible summons.

The CIO's position, based on laws and Supreme Court precedents, is that if a suspect refuses to appear for questioning, they can be forcibly summoned to the interrogation room under the authority of an arrest warrant.

They also explained that even if President Yoon continues to refuse to testify after being forcibly summoned, rendering the interrogation record inadmissible as evidence, the record can still be submitted to the court as part of the case files during prosecution.