Jang Kyungtae: "No Fall During Yoon's Arrest... He Lay Down and Kicked Like a Child Throwing a Tantrum"

"He lay down and kicked his legs"
"Only part of the CCTV footage will be released"
Kim Kyeri: "They tried to drag Yoon out by holding his arms and legs"

Former President Yoon Seokyoul is heading to Seoul Detention Center after completing the second pretrial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 9th of last month. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Assemblyman Jang Kyungtae of the Democratic Party of Korea claimed that there was no incident of former President Yoon Sukyeol falling on his backside during the execution of the arrest warrant by the special counsel team investigating Kim Keonhee.

On the 21st, Assemblyman Jang appeared on YTN Radio's "News Fighting" and said, "When we visited Seoul Detention Center on the 11th, correctional officers who participated in the execution of the second arrest warrant for former President Yoon by the Kim Keonhee special counsel team on the 7th testified that '(former President Yoon) did not fall on his backside or anything like that.' They said he lay down and kicked his legs like a child throwing a tantrum."

He continued, "Even Kim Kyeri, the attorney representing former President Yoon Sukyeol, is asking for the release of the CCTV footage, so if you think about why the detention center is not releasing it, it probably isn't because of the alleged fall. I suspect it might be due to the possible smuggling in of a mobile phone or outside food. Since this would be a violation of the Act on the Execution of Criminal Judgments by the warden and correctional officers, they could face legal punishment," he added.

However, Assemblyman Jang predicted that, given the CCTV footage is about 10 hours long, it is likely that only a portion will be released. He said, "Since the footage is at least 10 hours long, I believe it will be shared at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and committee members will extract and disclose the relevant portions during their questioning time. The necessary parts will naturally be released," he said.

Kim Kyeri: "Detention center staff tried to drag Yoon out with his arms and legs restrained, along with the chair"

According to the defense team, during the execution of the warrant on the 8th, former President Yoon repeatedly requested to have his attorney present, but the detention center staff ignored his request, telling him to "be quiet" and lured him to the departure manager's office. They claimed that, in the process of forcing him into a vehicle in front of the external exit without his attorney present, direct physical force was used against him.

Kim Kyeri, attorney for former President Yoon Sukyeol, who has been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection and abuse of authority obstructing the exercise of rights, is entering the Seoul Central District Court courtroom in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of May 19. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Attorney Kim Kyeri explained, "Even though former President Yoon requested his attorney, detention center staff tried to forcibly put him in the vehicle by locking arms with him, and in the process of dragging him out with his arms and legs restrained along with the chair, he suffered injuries to his waist and backside." In fact, former President Yoon reportedly complained of pain in his arm and shoulder during this process, requested medical attention at the infirmary, and later received treatment.

It was also revealed that the special counsel team was directing the situation in real time. According to Attorney Kim, Special Prosecutor Assistant Moon Hongju was giving direct instructions to the staff at the scene via speakerphone, and allegedly ordered the use of CRPT (emergency response team) personnel to forcibly carry out the arrest. There was even a remark, "There are ten people there, can't you get one person out?" which supports the claim that the special counsel's execution was excessive.