South Korea: Yoon seeks probe into CIO chief, police officers over attempt to execute warrant for his detention
Seoul, Jan 5 (IANS) South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol’s lawyer said on Sunday that he will file a complaint with the prosecution this week seeking an investigation into the chief of South Korea’s anti-corruption agency handling Yoon’s martial law case and other police officers for attempting to execute a warrant to detain Yoon.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) unsuccessfully attempted to execute the court warrant for Yoon’s detention on Friday, engaging in a standoff with the Presidential Security Service that ended after six hours as the CIO decided to withdraw its officials, citing safety concerns.
Yun Gap-geun, Yoon’s defence attorney, said in a statement to the media that his team will lodge the complaint Monday against some 150 law enforcement officials, including CIO chief Oh Dong-woon, Yonhap news agency reported.
“They will be looking at charges of obstruction of justice, illegal entry into buildings and violations of military facility protection laws,” Yun said.
The 150 individuals include senior prosecutors at the CIO, acting National Police Agency Commissioner-General Lee Ho-young and acting Defence Minister Kim Seon-ho.
Yoon’s legal team accused them of mobilising police special forces to execute the court warrant, although they do not have the legal authority to control police.
Some staff members of the Presidential Security Service were injured while preventing the investigation team from entering the military security facility by breaking through the main gate of Yoon’s residence, it said.
Yoon’s side also argued that the police and defence ministry neglected their duties by defying the requests from the presidential security and acting President Choi Sang-mok to ramp up security around Yoon’s residence compound.
“Failure to comply with orders is a serious matter that undermines the foundation of the presidential security system vital to national security,” it said. “We seek to hold those who committed illegal acts fully accountable under the relevant laws.”
Investigators were expected to make another attempt to carry out the court warrant to detain the impeached president as early as Sunday afternoon.
The CIO has only until the end of Monday to execute the warrant, based on which it can either decide to file a court warrant for Yoon’s formal arrest or release him.
Yoon has not complied with the investigation, arguing the CIO lacks legal authority to investigate the case.
–IANS
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