Special Prosecutor Summons Yoon for June 28... Yoon's Side Says "Will Comply with Confidence"

Tug-of-War Between Special Prosecutor and Yoon
Over Control in the Early Stage of the Investigation

The arrest warrant for former President Yoon Sukyeol, requested by Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok in the insurrection case, was dismissed by the Seoul Central District Court on June 25. In response, the special prosecutor's office immediately notified former President Yoon to appear as a suspect for questioning at the special prosecutor’s office located in the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office at 9 a.m. on June 28. Yoon’s legal team stated, "We will comply with the special prosecutor's summons on the 28th with confidence."

The Seoul Central District Court cited as its reason for dismissing the arrest warrant that "the suspect has stated he will comply with the special prosecutor’s request to appear." Previously, former President Yoon had failed to comply with three police summonses. However, after the special prosecutor requested an arrest warrant, he expressed a position along the lines of "I intended to appear for questioning if summoned by the special prosecutor." Since the purpose of the arrest warrant was to secure the suspect for questioning, Yoon’s stated intention to appear became the basis for the warrant’s dismissal.

Instead, Yoon’s side requested that his appearance for questioning on the 28th be conducted without media coverage. The legal team told the press, "We asked to reschedule the appearance from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., but the special prosecutor refused, not allowing even a one-hour adjustment." The legal team added, "Such unilateral orders and rigid attitudes are contrary to the nature of voluntary investigations, and therefore are difficult to accept." The tug-of-war between the special prosecutor, determined not to lose momentum early in the investigation, and former President Yoon’s team continues.

Meanwhile, the 34th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyeon, as requested by the special prosecutor’s team in the insurrection case. Kim was rearrested just three hours before he was to be released at the expiration of his previous detention period. The court cited "a high risk of evidence destruction" as the reason for issuing the warrant. On June 19, the special prosecutor’s team had filed an additional indictment against Kim for obstruction of official duties and instructing the destruction of evidence, and requested a new arrest warrant.