The police have launched a search and seizure operation at the Presidential Office and other locations, but have been in a standoff for over eight hours due to the Presidential Security Service's refusal.
The Special Investigation Unit for Emergency Martial Law of the police presented search warrants to security guards at the entrance of the Presidential Office and the Hannam-dong official residence area around 10:13 a.m. on the 16th and attempted to conduct searches. However, the standoff continues as the Security Service has not authorized the execution of the search to this day.
Under the Criminal Procedure Act, search and seizure of locations involving military or official secrets require the consent of the person in charge. However, the person responsible for the location must comply with the search and seizure unless it harms the significant interests of the state.
The targets of this search and seizure include the Security Service's secret phone server within the Presidential Office, the Security Service office in the official residence area, and the official residence of the head of the Security Service.
Previously, the police attempted five times to secure the key evidence, the secret phone server, but failed due to the refusal of Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Presidential Security Service.
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