Starts Without Exercising Right to Remain Silent
Interview Room Set Up on Sixth Floor of Prosecutors' Office
Meals Expected to Be Taken Inside the Government Building
The special prosecutor's team investigating the insurrection case began questioning former President Yoon Suk-yeol immediately after a preliminary interview that lasted about ten minutes. The morning session is being handled by police officers seconded to the team, who have been investigating allegations of obstruction of arrest and orders to delete records from secure phones.
On the morning of the 28th, Deputy Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young stated during a press briefing, "The interview room for former President Yoon has been set up on the sixth floor." Former President Yoon, accompanied by attorneys Chae Myung-sung and Song Jin-ho, met with Deputy Special Prosecutors Park Eok-su and Jang Woo-sung in a room adjacent to the interview room for about ten minutes to express his views before the questioning began. It was confirmed that the interview room is similar in structure to a standard prosecutor's office.
Deputy Special Prosecutor Park explained that the morning session would focus on the allegations for which an arrest warrant had been requested. The arrest warrant for former President Yoon specifies charges of obstruction of official duties for interfering with the execution of arrest warrants by the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, as well as instructing those involved in the case to delete call histories and other records from secure phones.
Park stated, "Considering the connection between the cases, the investigation is being led from the beginning by Park Chang-hwan, Chief Superintendent of the National Police Agency's Major Crimes Investigation Division. This is solely based on investigative logic and efficiency." Inspectors Choi Sang-jin and Lee Jeong-pil from the Major Crimes Investigation Division also participated in the questioning.
The special prosecutor's team also plans to question former President Yoon about his alleged obstruction of the National Assembly's decision-making process on December 3 of last year, as well as about foreign exchange offenses. The special prosecutor's mandate includes the possibility that former President Yoon may have attempted to provoke North Korean aggression, which could constitute a foreign exchange offense. Park stated, "Depending on the duration of the questioning, we intend to cover the foreign exchange offenses as well, if possible," adding, "As far as I know, we are well prepared to investigate a substantial portion of the materials related to the foreign exchange offenses."
Regarding whether former President Yoon would exercise his right to remain silent, Park said, "At this time, former President Yoon has not exercised his right to remain silent. It appears he will provide a full statement."
At approximately 9:55 a.m. that day, former President Yoon arrived at the main entrance of the government building, where a photo line for the press had been set up, in a security vehicle. Dressed in a black suit and red tie, he exited the vehicle without responding to reporters' questions and entered the building immediately. The special prosecutor's team began questioning him at 10:14 a.m. It is expected that he will have his meals inside the building. Former President Yoon did not meet separately with Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok.
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