South Korea –
The head of presidential security wants to avoid any “bloodshed”
The head of the Security Service of deposed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called on Friday to prevent any “bloodshed” if investigators tried to arrest him again.
Park Chong-jun, the head of the Security Service of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
AFP
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“Under no circumstances should there be physical clashes or bloodshed,” Presidential Security Service (PSS) chief Park Chong-jun, whose team had prevented police and investigators to arrest ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning last week.
Yoon Suk Yeol’s bodyguards had formed a human chain to block access to prosecutors from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) and police officers who came to seize the president at his residence in Seoul, where he has been cut off for weeks. After six hours of tense face-to-face confrontation, the IOC retreated, saying he feared for the safety of his staff.
Yoon Suk Yeol refuses to be questioned about his failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3, which plunged South Korea into a serious political crisis and put him under investigation for “rebellion “, a crime punishable by death.
New arrest warrant
“I understand that many citizens are concerned about the current situation where government agencies are in conflict,” Park Chong-jun told reporters Friday outside the police station where he was summoned for questioning.
The IOC obtained a new arrest warrant against the deposed president on Tuesday, after the expiration of a first seven-day mandate the day before. Since December 31, hundreds of Yoon Suk Yeol’s supporters have demonstrated day and night near his residence, braving freezing temperatures.
Hundreds of Yoon Suk Yeol’s supporters demonstrate day and night near his residence, braving freezing temperatures.
-AFP
Mr. Yoon’s lawyers argue that the arrest warrant is “invalid and illegal” and challenge the IOC’s jurisdiction to investigate the matter. They affirmed that their client would no more comply with the second arrest warrant than with the first.
On the other hand, detractors of the right-wing leader, elected in 2022, are growing impatient and are also demonstrating regularly to demand his arrest.
Trial set for Monday
The 64-year-old former star prosecutor officially remains the president of the country, and is only suspended while waiting for the Constitutional Court to validate or not his dismissal, voted on December 14 by the National Assembly.
The Court set the start of the impeachment trial for Monday, which will take place in the absence of the main person concerned if he does not appear.
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