The special investigation team is reported to be investigating former President Yoon Suk-yeol for charges of obstructing arrest and destroying evidence as of the 28th. Former President Yoon appeared before the special investigation team at 9:55 a.m. and began the investigation at the interrogation room set up on the 6th floor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office at 10:14 a.m. It is said that former President Yoon is not exercising his right to refuse to testify.
Park Ji-young, a deputy chief of the special investigation team, revealed during a press briefing at 11 a.m. that "(an investigation will) be conducted first regarding the charges for which an arrest warrant has been requested against former President Yoon."
Earlier, the special investigation team requested an arrest warrant for former President Yoon, which was dismissed by the court. At that time, former President Yoon was accused of ordering the Presidential Security Service to obstruct his arrest when the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials attempted to execute the arrest warrant in January. Additionally, he was also accused of instructing the Presidential Security Service to delete information related to the confidential phone of former Army Special Warfare Command Chief Kwak Jong-geun and former Seoul Defense Command Chief Lee Jin-woo after the declaration of martial law on December 7 last year. The court dismissed the arrest warrant based on the fact that the special investigation team did not notify former President Yoon of the summons and that he had expressed his intention to appear before the special investigation team.
When asked by reporters whether former President Yoon was exercising his right to refuse to testify, Deputy Chief Park noted, "At this point, that's not the case yet."
Deputy Chief Park said that after meeting with former President Yoon and his lawyers for 10 minutes, the investigation began, stating, "During this meeting, the lawyers and former President Yoon expressed their opinions regarding the investigation." However, he clarified that there was no meeting between former President Yoon and Special Investigator Cho Eun-seok before the investigation started.
The investigation on that morning is being conducted by Park Chang-hwan, head of the Major Crimes Investigation Division of the Korean National Police Agency, among others, dispatched to the special investigation team. Deputy Chief Park explained, "Considering the connectivity and efficiency of the investigation, Deputy Chief Park has taken charge of the investigation, along with two lieutenants participating." He added, "Deputy Chief Park is a representative elite investigator within the police agency and has led this case from the beginning, making him well-acquainted with every aspect of it."
Deputy Chief Park also responded to inquiries from reporters about whether foreign exchange charges would be investigated, stating, "We intend to look into that part as much as possible."
The allegations against former President Yoon concerning foreign exchange charges center around accusations of sending unmanned aerial vehicles and considering striking with balloon munitions to create a situation that meets the conditions for declaring martial law, namely, 'war, conflict, or a similar national emergency,' thereby provoking North Korean attacks.
Deputy Chief Park stated, "Investigations regarding the Cabinet meeting related to the declaration of martial law on December 3 will also be conducted today." The special investigation team is expected to investigate the proceedings of the Cabinet meeting held just before the martial law declaration on December 3 last year, including the allegations that former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other officials present at the meeting condoned or aided in the declaration of martial law.
In addition, Deputy Chief Park stated that if former President Yoon's side agrees, late-night investigations will also be conducted.