Special Prosecutor's Investigation to End on the 28th
Schedule Changed from the 17th at Legal Team's Request
Renewed Arrest Warrant Sought for Wellbiotech Chairman over Stock Manipulation
Former President Yoon Sukyeol will appear before the special prosecutor Min Jungki's team as a suspect for questioning on the 20th. The special prosecutor's team also plans to summon Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, as a suspect for questioning on the 21st.
Former President Yoon Seok-yeol is attending the first trial on charges of "obstruction of special official duties and abuse of authority to interfere with the exercise of rights" held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on September 26, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps
On the 15th, the special prosecutor's team announced to the media, "The schedule for questioning former President Yoon has been changed from the 17th to 10 a.m. on the 20th at the request of his legal counsel to allow time for trial preparation."
Former President Yoon was originally scheduled to be questioned on the 17th, but his legal team requested a change in the date due to a conflicting trial schedule.
This will likely be the first and last time the special prosecutor's team questions former President Yoon since launching its investigation in July. As the investigation period expires after 28 days, all questioning is expected to be completed in a single day.
Former President Yoon has been named as an accomplice in allegations that Kim Keonhee received polling results worth 270 million won from Myung Taegyun and an artwork by artist Lee Ufan worth 140 million won from former Deputy Prosecutor General Kim Sangmin. He also faces charges of announcing false information related to Kim Keonhee during a public debate at the end of 2021, when he was a presidential candidate.
The investigation will also look into whether former President Yoon was involved when Kim Keonhee allegedly received expensive gifts and requests for personnel and business favors from Lee Bonggwan, Chairman of Seohui Construction, and Lee Baeyong, former Chairperson of the National Education Commission, among others.
Lee Junseok to Be Summoned as a 'Suspect' on the 21st... Wellbiotech Chairman Faces Renewed Arrest Warrant
Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, is appearing on Asia Business Daily AK Radio at the National Assembly on the 5th, interviewing specialist So Jongsup. 2025.8.5 Photo by Hyunmin Kim
Additionally, the special prosecutor's team will summon Lee Junseok at 10 a.m. on the 21st. After previously refusing to comply with a summons on the 12th, Lee is now reported to have coordinated his schedule with the special prosecutor's team. The team intends to question Lee regarding allegations of former President Yoon's involvement in candidate nominations during the June 1, 2022 local elections and National Assembly by-elections.
Lee Junseok has claimed to possess a recording of a phone call in which former President Yoon attempted to intervene in candidate nominations during his tenure as leader of the People Power Party in the June 1, 2022 local elections and National Assembly by-elections. Lee himself is also under investigation as a suspect for allegedly intervening in the nomination process.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor's team announced that it has re-applied for an arrest warrant for Yang Namhee, Chairman of Wellbiotech, who is suspected of participating in stock price manipulation. The charges include violations of the Capital Markets Act, aggravated breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, and embezzlement in the course of business. The warrant review hearing is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. on the 18th at the Seoul Central District Court.
The special prosecutor's team had previously applied for an arrest warrant last month, but the court dismissed it, stating that the evidence was insufficient to justify detaining the suspect regarding the main charges.
Yang is accused of manipulating stock prices in May 2023 by misleading investors into believing that Wellbiotech would participate in Ukraine reconstruction projects. The special prosecutor's team suspects that this was carried out in a manner similar to the Sambo Construction stock manipulation case that occurred around the same time.
The indictment of former Wellbiotech CEO Koo Sehyun, who has already been arrested and indicted, states that Koo, Yang, former Vice Chairman Lee Kihun, and two others conspired to manipulate stock prices and obtained illicit gains totaling approximately 30.211 billion won.
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