Yoon Refuses to Appear Before Special Prosecutor Team
Files Habeas Corpus Petition Against Detention
The special prosecutor team led by Cho Eunseok, which is investigating allegations of insurrection and treason related to the 12·3 Martial Law, has refuted criticisms regarding the legitimacy of the treason investigation, stating, "We are investigating the scope of the investigation as stipulated by the Special Prosecutor Act."
Park Jiyoung, Special Prosecutor for Internal Affairs, is speaking at a briefing held at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News
At a briefing on the 16th, Park Jiyoung, Deputy Special Prosecutor, stated, "This special investigation is not only to uncover the truth about insurrection, but also about acts of treason," adding, "Matters related to treason have a particular nature as they are directly tied to the national interest, so we are proceeding with caution and conducting a careful investigation."
Park further explained, "The Special Prosecutor Act explicitly lists treason-related incidents, such as the drone infiltration into Pyongyang, and there are also numerous treason-related cases transferred from the police, the prosecution, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. The search and seizure warrant related to treason charges issued yesterday was granted by the court, which determined that the requirements for issuing the warrant had been sufficiently demonstrated."
She continued, "Unilateral claims by the accused, which could easily lead to misunderstandings regarding the treason investigation, are spreading, and there are also claims that the special prosecutor team is overreaching in its legal interpretation. The special prosecutor team expresses concern about this situation."
The special prosecutor team had previously secured materials related to the deployment of North Korean drones from 24 military-related locations, including a drone company in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. In response, the legal team for former President Yoon Seokyeol argued that the treason investigation was a separate, unrelated investigation, claiming, "This is a wrongful investigation that adds illegality to illegality."
At a cabinet meeting held immediately after the launch of the special prosecutor team, Kim Sunho, then Vice Minister of National Defense, reportedly expressed concern, saying, "It is worrisome that the special prosecutor's investigation into insurrection includes charges of treason. The investigation is proceeding on the premise that our military may have colluded with the enemy to commit crimes, which could have a serious impact on military morale and honor."
Currently, the special prosecutor team is summoning military personnel involved in the drone deployment operation before and after the search and seizure to ascertain the facts. On the 17th, the team plans to question Kim Yongdae, the drone commander who reportedly met with former President Yoon Seokyeol and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yonghyun in September of last year, to determine whether drone operations were discussed during that meeting.
Meanwhile, former President Yoon Seokyeol, who was re-detained on the 10th, is refusing to comply with the special prosecutor team's summons due to health reasons. The special prosecutor team deemed his reasons for noncompliance unjustified and attempted to bring him in by force on two occasions, but the investigation has not proceeded as Yoon refused. In response, the special prosecutor team issued a third order the previous day, instructing Seoul Detention Center to bring Yoon to the interrogation room.
On this day, Yoon's legal team filed a habeas corpus petition with the court, challenging the legality and validity of his detention. Park Jiyoung stated, "Special Prosecutor Park Eoksu was planning to visit Seoul Detention Center to execute the detention order for the suspect, but the visit was postponed due to the filing of the habeas corpus petition." She added, "If a habeas corpus petition is filed, this period is not counted toward the detention period, and no decision has yet been made regarding an extension of the detention."
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