Police Special Unit Withdraws After 8-Hour Standoff... Another Failed Search of the Security Office

The police attempted to conduct a search and seizure of Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service, and Lee Kwang-woo, Chief of the Security Headquarters, who are accused of obstructing the arrest of President Yoon Seok-yeol, but ultimately failed to enter the Security Service premises.

The Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency’s Criminal Investigation Headquarters (headed by Woo Jong-su) tried to search the Security Service offices targeting Deputy Chief Kim and Chief Lee at 10 a.m. on the 3rd, but after an eight-hour standoff, they withdrew around 6:16 p.m. The Security Service reportedly reaffirmed its position that it could not cooperate with the seizure of servers due to military confidentiality and official duties.

Yonhap News

The Special Investigation Unit stated, "(The Security Service) only voluntarily submitted materials already secured by the police and did not provide the requested necessary materials."

Earlier, a Special Investigation Unit official announced at a regular briefing that investigators were dispatched to the homes of Deputy Chief Kim and Chief Lee that morning to secure their work and personal mobile phones, including "bihwa phones." Bihwa phones are secure mobile phones equipped with anti-tapping and call recording prevention programs, and the data stored on the servers is considered a key clue in the investigation.

The police’s attempt to conduct the search and seizure stemmed from the prosecution’s request for supplementary investigation. Last month, the police applied for arrest warrants for Deputy Chief Kim and Chief Lee, but the prosecution rejected them again, requesting further investigation.

A Special Investigation Unit official expressed regret over this, saying, "The criminal charges have been substantiated, and there is concern over evidence destruction, so we regret the prosecution’s request for supplementary investigation," and added, "We plan to actively reapply for arrest warrants in the future."

Deputy Chief Kim and Chief Lee, considered the "hardliners" within the Security Service, are accused of leading the police’s first and second attempts to arrest President Yoon and removing employees who did not follow their orders from their duties (charges include obstruction of special official duties and abuse of authority under the Act on the Protection of the President and Others).