Yoon Fails to Enter Interrogation Room After Lunch
Yoon's Side Demands "Prosecutor Must Conduct Questioning," Requests Change of Investigator
Special Counsel: "No One Under Investigation Can Choose Their Investigator"
The special investigation team on insurrection, led by Cho Eunseok, stated, "Former President Yoon Seokyeol is effectively refusing to participate in the afternoon questioning," and added, "If he continues to refuse to be questioned, we will consider this as a refusal to appear and will soon review follow-up measures." The special counsel team also criticized the former president's legal team, saying their obstruction of the investigation has crossed the line.
At a press briefing on the afternoon of the 28th, Deputy Special Counsel Park Jiyoung said, "We tried to resume the investigation after lunch, but former President Yoon is currently not entering the interrogation room from the waiting area," adding, "This is equivalent to refusing to appear." Former President Yoon participated in the morning questioning without refusing to testify, but it was confirmed that starting in the afternoon, his legal team demanded a change of investigator and has effectively refused to participate in the questioning.
Deputy Special Counsel Park stated, "The special counsel team has sufficiently explained the situation and is still trying to persuade him to participate in the questioning," and added, "If there is no progress and this deadlock continues, there is no reason for him to remain in the waiting room, so we will consider it a refusal to appear and review follow-up measures." However, regarding these 'follow-up measures,' she said, "It is difficult to say definitively that it will be an arrest warrant."
She also said, "It seems the legal team is crossing the line by obstructing the investigation with false claims," and refuted, "The claim by former President Yoon's side that Senior Superintendent Park Changhwan, the alleged perpetrator of 'illegal arrest,' is questioning the victim is not true." According to the special counsel, Senior Superintendent Park did not go to the official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, when the first arrest warrant for former President Yoon was executed. Furthermore, the arrest warrant for former President Yoon was issued by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials through the court, and is unrelated to Senior Superintendent Park.
During the morning questioning, the special counsel focused on confirming allegations that in January, former President Yoon instructed the Presidential Security Service to block the execution of the arrest warrant issued by the Corruption Investigation Office. The investigation was led by Park Changhwan, Chief of the Major Crimes Investigation Division at the National Police Agency (Senior Superintendent), who has been investigating the case. However, former President Yoon's side argues that it is inappropriate for Senior Superintendent Park, who has been accused of illegal arrest, to conduct the questioning. They also raised an issue with the fact that the questioning is being conducted by a dispatched police officer rather than a prosecutor.
In response, Deputy Special Counsel Park said, "There is no law that exempts a former president from being investigated by the police," and added, "This is tantamount to denying the police system itself." She further stated, "No one in our country can choose who investigates them."
The special counsel is considering launching an investigation into former President Yoon's legal team for spreading false information and obstructing the investigation, and is also reviewing a disciplinary referral to the bar association.
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