Yoon Seok-youl, former president, still uncertain about attending special investigation scheduled for the 14th
Yoon Seok-youl, who refused to attend the first special investigation following his re-arrest, remains uncertain about whether he will respond to the investigation scheduled for the 14th.
The former president's side has stated that they will make a final decision on attendance through a lawyer’s meeting this morning.
According to sources in the legal community on the 12th, Yoon’s legal team plans to meet him at the Seoul Detention Center on the morning of the 14th to coordinate whether to comply with the special investigation's request for questioning.
Special investigation team issues another attendance request… Yoon claims 'health issues'
After arresting Yoon on the 10th on charges of abuse of power, the special investigation team attempted to conduct their first questioning at 2 p.m. on the 11th; however, Yoon did not attend, citing health reasons.
In response, the special investigation team adjusted the schedule to 2 p.m. on the 14th and reiterated their request for Yoon's attendance. Special prosecutor Park Ji-young announced during a briefing on the 11th that they received a response from the correctional authorities stating that there are no health issues preventing him from attending the investigation.
However, Yoon's side claims that his health has worsened due to pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and psychological shock. Notably, more than half of the medications he has been taking have been deemed inadmissible for entry into the detention center, leading them to consider seeking prescriptions through external medical consultations.
Possibility of forced summons discussed… Review of legality of arrest also considered
Yoon's legal team is deeply discussing the possibility of filing for a "review of the legality of his detention." However, the special investigation team perceives Yoon's repeated refusals to attend as intentional actions aimed at delaying the investigation and is contemplating pressure measures, including forced summons.
Special prosecutor Park Ji-young stated, "We are planning to conduct summons investigations as a principle and do not intend to visit the detention center," reaffirming the principle of face-to-face questioning. The special investigation team is also considering charges related to the core issue of the "December 3 martial law," as well as additional charges related to foreign exchange violations, asserting that direct questioning of Yoon is essential.
As the contest between the special investigation team and Yoon's side intensifies, it is anticipated that whether Yoon will attend the special investigation within this week will be a significant variable influencing the future direction of the investigation.
Image source: Yoon Seok-youl / News1, News1
