The Corruption Investigation Office enters the iron gate of the official residence to arrest the rebellion suspect.
Fight with security staff, withdraw after being blocked by the third cordon
Second attempt as early as today… In case of failure, arrest warrant possible
Security barricade blocking the air raids
The High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Agency attempted to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 3rd, but failed due to the Presidential Security Service’s obstruction. On the 3rd, at the Presidential Residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Secret Service personnel are building barricades with ‘human shields’ and vehicles, blocking the entry of the Corruption Investigation Agency and police. Reporter Yang Hoe-seong [email protected]
The High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office (Corruption Investigation Office), which is investigating the December 3 declaration of martial law, failed to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 3rd. Even though a total of 150 people were assigned to the arrest team, they were blocked by the Presidential Security Service’s hand-to-hand defense and failed to secure new recruits for the insurgent suspects. In the legal world, it is pointed out that President Yoon, who is suspected of being the leader of the rebellion, avoided arrest by using security agents, far-right YouTubers, and right-wing asphalt protesters as shields. There is also criticism that this is the exact opposite of his statement to the public in December last year, when he said, “We will face confidently whether impeachment or investigation.”
The Corruption Investigation Office departed from the Gwacheon Government Complex at around 6:14 am on the 3rd and arrived in front of the Presidential Residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul around 7:20 am. For the execution, 30 personnel from the Corruption Investigation Agency, including 4th Investigation Department Director Lee Dae-hwan, and 120 police personnel were deployed, and 80 of them passed through the first iron gate and barricade at around 8:02 a.m. and began the execution. During this process, he got into a physical fight with security staff.
However, the security agency was unable to break through the secondary cordon established with ‘human scrums’ and vehicles, leading to a standoff that lasted for more than five hours. After passing the second cordon, only three prosecutors from the Corruption Investigation Agency moved to the third cordon and presented an arrest warrant to the defense team, but even here they were unable to enter because they were blocked by barricades built by the Secret Service with vehicles. In the end, at around 1:30 p.m., five and a half hours after the arrest warrant was executed, the execution was halted due to ‘concerns about the safety of personnel on site’ and withdrew. A legal official criticized, “The suspect in the rebellion who disrupted the constitutional order is refusing all investigations while hiding in his official residence, and is even mobilizing all of his security forces to try to destroy the judicial order.”
An official from the Corruption Investigation Office said, “We decided that it was impossible to execute the arrest warrant, so we stopped the execution,” and added, “We plan to request Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who is in charge of command and supervision of the Secret Service, to order the Secret Service to comply with the execution of the arrest warrant.” The Corruption Investigation Office is considering a plan to attempt a second execution as early as the 4th, but as the re-execution is unlikely to succeed, the option of immediately requesting an arrest warrant from the court is also being discussed. The police booked Chief of Security Park Jong-jun and Deputy Chief of Security Kim Seong-hoon on charges of obstructing the execution of special official duties and notified them to appear on the 4th.
On this day, 11,000 supporters (unofficial police estimate) gathered around the entrance to the official residence, saying, “We must protect the president.” President Yoon’s side said, “We are very sorry that the Corruption Investigation Office, which has no authority to investigate treason, attempted to forcibly execute illegal and invalid arrest and search warrants.”
People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kwon Young-se said on the 3rd, “An attempt like this should never be made in the future,” and “I express my deep regret.” On the other hand, Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, “While watching the situation today, the people will have reaffirmed Yoon Seok-yeol’s ‘stupidity’ and lameness.”
Reporter Choi Mi-song [email protected]
Reporter Koo Min-ki [email protected]
Reporter Kwon Gu-yong [email protected]
-
- great
- 0dog
-
- I’m sad
- 0dog
-
- I’m angry
- 0dog