Seoul Detention Center Effectively Refuses to Forcibly Bring in Yoon... "Send Special Prosecutor Personnel"

Correctional Authorities: "Special Prosecutor or Investigator Needed for Lawful Transfer"

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is heading to Seoul Detention Center after completing the second pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 9th. Photo by Joint Press Corps

As Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok's team continues its investigation into allegations related to the 12·3 Martial Law, the team has initiated a third attempt to forcibly bring in former President Yoon Sukyeol. However, Seoul Detention Center has informed the special prosecutor's team that it is effectively unable to execute the physical transfer of the former president.

On the 16th, the Ministry of Justice stated, "Regarding the special prosecutor's directive to transfer former President Yoon for investigation, Seoul Detention Center sent an official letter requesting that a special prosecutor or investigator be dispatched to ensure the lawful execution of the transfer."

While the special prosecutor's team has not succeeded in forcibly bringing in former President Yoon, and has even questioned correctional officers at Seoul Detention Center as reference witnesses to determine the circumstances, the detention center appears to be shifting responsibility back to the special prosecutor's team.

The detention center's position is that correctional officers cannot forcibly bring in a former president, and therefore, the special prosecutor's team that issued the transfer directive should personally escort former President Yoon to the interrogation room. This has drawn significant attention to how the special prosecutor's team will respond.

Effectively, the correctional authorities have refused to forcibly bring in former President Yoon, making it possible that the special prosecutor's team may have to send its own personnel to escort him to the interrogation room.

However, since the special prosecutor's team has already warned that it will hold those responsible strictly accountable for failing to comply with its directives, it remains uncertain whether the team's personnel will directly carry out the forced transfer of former President Yoon.