A pre-arrest interrogation (substantial examination of the warrant) to determine whether to issue an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk-yeol will be held on the afternoon of the 9th at 2:15 p.m. at the Seoul Central District Court. Former President Yoon is expected to attend the hearing in person. A decision on former President Yoon's re-arrest could be made as early as that day.

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu after undergoing the second face-to-face investigation of the Special Prosecutor for Insurrection on the afternoon of the 5th. /Courtesy of News1

Director General Nam Se-jin of the Seoul Central District Court will conduct the pre-arrest interrogation of former President Yoon in courtroom 321 of the courthouse at 2:15 p.m. that day.

The special investigation team for insurrection filed for an arrest warrant for former President Yoon on the 6th on charges of abuse of authority, forgery of official documents, and obstruction of special public duties. Allegations of foreign aggression, suggesting that former President Yoon incited an attack from North Korea related to the declaration of martial law on December 3, were not included. The 66-page warrant application reportedly includes accusations against President Yoon regarding instructions to obstruct the security service’s arrests, directives to delete recorded messages, obstruction of the rights of cabinet members who failed to attend cabinet meetings, and preparing and destroying a post-martial law declaration.

Former President Yoon is expected to attend the hearing in person. Former President Yoon's legal representatives stated, "There has been no objective evidence presented in the special investigation and, even based on the statements of relevant parties, no crime has been established," adding, "We will demonstrate to the court that the request for an arrest warrant by the special investigation team is excessive."

That day, former President Yoon's side is expected to argue that there is little need for arrest, emphasizing that he is attending a criminal trial related to insurrection and has a fixed residence, indicating no risk of flight. On the other hand, the special investigation team is likely to argue for the necessity of arrest citing the seriousness of the criminal allegations and concerns of evidence destruction.

The decision regarding whether to issue an arrest warrant for former President Yoon is expected to be announced as early as that day after the hearing or in the early morning of the following day (10th). Former President Yoon is expected to await the results at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, or at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office detention center.

If the court issues an arrest warrant, former President Yoon will be re-arrested four months after being released following the court's decision to cancel his arrest in March. Former President Yoon will undergo a maximum of 20 days of detained investigation. The special investigation team will then decide whether to indict him.

Previously, on January 15 during his presidency, former President Yoon was arrested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and was incarcerated at the Seoul Detention Center after an arrest warrant was issued from the Seoul Western District Court due to "concerns of evidence destruction." Subsequently, former President Yoon was indicted for charges including being the mastermind behind an insurrection and was brought to trial, but he was released after the court decided to cancel the arrest in March.

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