Yoon Seok-yeol's former presidential aide Kim Seong-hoon dismissed for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant

The Presidential Security Service has decided to dismiss Kim Seong-hoon, the former deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, who is accused of obstructing the execution of the arrest warrant against former President Yoon Seok-yeol.

On the 15th, the Presidential Security Service unanimously voted for the highest level of disciplinary action, dismissal, during a disciplinary committee meeting.

Former Deputy Chief Kim is accused of actively blocking the execution of the arrest warrant by mobilizing security officers when the warrant was issued for former President Yoon in January of this year. It appears the decision for the highest level of disciplinary action was made based on the judgment that this was not simple duty performance but an act of obstructing law enforcement.

Furthermore, after former President Yoon was released due to the cancellation of the arrest warrant, Kim took action against an official within the Presidential Security Service who had expressed support for the execution of the warrant, placing that official on standby.

Repeated severe disciplinary actions against senior officials of the Presidential Security Service

Former Deputy Chief Kim had submitted his resignation in April and was in a state of standby.

This dismissal decision is a strong measure that deprives him of all positions as a public servant and also disadvantages him in terms of retirement benefits.

Previously, the Presidential Security Service had also issued a 'dismissal' to former Chief of Security Lee Gwang-woo, who led the obstruction of the execution of former President Yoon's arrest warrant last month.

Senior officials within the Security Service are being subjected to severe disciplinary actions one after another, which is interpreted as an effort to clarify responsibilities within the Security Service related to the investigation conducted after the emergency martial law on December 3.

Image source: Kim Seong-hoon, the former deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, moves to attend the first national investigation hearing into the charges of insurrection through the declaration of emergency martial law by the Yoon Seok-yeol government at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on January 22, 2025. / News1, Lee Dae-hwan, chief prosecutor of the High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office (SPO), and other SPO investigators enter the checkpoint of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, at 8:30 a.m. on the 3rd to execute the arrest warrant against President Yoon Seok-yeol, where they are surrounded and obstructed by troops from the Army Capital Defense Command's 55th Guard Company. / News1, Lee Gwang-woo, the chief of the Presidential Security Service, is present at the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of January 24, 2025. / News1