Special Prosecutor Investigates Yoon's Residence... Cho Taeyong and Lim Jongdeuk Also Targeted

Kim Taehyo, Former Deputy Director, to Be Summoned for Questioning at 3 p.m.

The special prosecutor team led by Lee Myunghyun, which is investigating allegations of external pressure on the investigation into the death of Marine Chae Sangbyung, conducted a search and seizure on former President Yoon Seokyoul on the 11th. The team is also carrying out search and seizure operations on figures from the Yoon Seokyoul administration, including Cho Taeyong, former Director of the National Intelligence Service, and Lim Jongdeuk, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, who are known to have been involved in the alleged interference.

The special investigation team for Lee Myunghyun, a fallen marine, who is investigating allegations of obstruction in the investigation of the Chaesangbyung case, conducted a search and seizure on the former President Yoon Seokyoul, who has been identified as the "pinnacle" of the alleged pressure on the investigation, on the 11th. The photo shows the front of former President Yoon's residence in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the same day. Photo by Yonhap News

The special prosecutor’s team announced that starting from 9 a.m. on the same day, it began executing a search and seizure warrant at former President Yoon’s residence, Acrovista in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Special Prosecutor Jeong Minyoung stated, "The search and seizure warrant is for the charge of abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights," and explained, "The situation involves being accused as a suspect of abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights in the entire process of withholding and retrieving the transfer of the Chae Sangbyung records, and subsequently altering the investigation results."

Special Prosecutor Jeong added, "If a lawyer participates in the search and seizure process, it can be conducted without the presence of the party concerned," and continued, "We are currently in discussions with the legal representative of former President Yoon." Former President Yoon was detained at the Seoul Detention Center as of the previous morning, following the issuance of an arrest warrant requested by the special prosecutor for insurrection.

On the same day, the special prosecutor’s team is also conducting search and seizure operations at about ten locations, including the residences of Cho Taeyong, former Director of the National Intelligence Service, and Lim Jongdeuk, a lawmaker from the People Power Party. The previous day, the team had searched the Ministry of National Defense, the National Security Office, as well as the residences of Lee Jongseop, former Minister of National Defense, Shin Beomcheol, former Vice Minister of National Defense, Lim Gihun, former Presidential Secretary for National Defense, and Lee Siwon, former Secretary for Public Discipline.

The special prosecutor’s team plans to summon Kim Taehyo, former First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, for questioning as a suspect at 3 p.m. on the same day. Special Prosecutor Jeong stated, "At the meeting on that day, the initial report regarding the death of Chae Sangbyung was made, and it is known that former President Yoon became enraged upon hearing the report," and added, "We plan to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the contents of the report and instructions given at the meeting, as well as the circumstances surrounding the involvement and intervention at that time."