Prosecutors Deliberating on Requesting Arrest Warrant for Kim Seong-hoon

Police Submit Fourth Warrant Application
Yoon's Side Urges Prosecution to Dismiss

The prosecution is deliberating whether to request arrest warrants for Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service, and others, who are accused of obstructing the arrest of President Yoon Seok-yeol.

Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Presidential Security Service, is responding to lawmakers' questions at the first hearing of the "Special Committee on the National Investigation into the Alleged Insurrection through the Declaration of Martial Law by the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration," held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to the prosecution on the 18th, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office is reviewing the arrest warrant applications for Deputy Chief Kim and Director Lee Gwang-woo of the Security Headquarters, which were sent by the Police National Investigation Headquarters (NIH) the previous day.

Deputy Chief Kim and Director Lee are accused of obstructing the first arrest operation against President Yoon by the police and the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HOCI). Earlier, the prosecution dismissed the police's third arrest warrant application, judging that the police's explanation regarding Deputy Chief Kim's obstruction charge was insufficient.

The prosecution also found the police investigation lacking regarding the allegation that Deputy Chief Kim ordered the deletion of records from the Security Service's burner phones, as testimonies from Kim and the staff involved conflicted.

The prosecution is expected to discuss filing arrest warrants based on the decision of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Warrant Review Committee. On the 6th, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Warrant Review Committee concluded that filing warrants against Deputy Chief Kim and others was appropriate.

A prosecution official said, "We must naturally respect the decision of the Warrant Review Committee," but added, "Considering the reasons for previous dismissals by the prosecution, it is true that there are concerns."

Meanwhile, President Yoon's legal team urged the prosecution to dismiss the police's reapplication for Deputy Chief Kim's arrest warrant. The legal team stated, "The police, together with HOCI, have applied for an unprecedented fourth arrest warrant against the Security Service to cover up and justify their illegal actions," adding, "The NIH's intention to arrest even the acting Deputy Chief and Director while the Security Service Chief position is vacant shows a disregard for national security."