Uiwang: Jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday resisted a special counsel team's attempt to detain him by lying on the floor of his prison cell wearing only his underwear, the team said. Assistant special counsel Moon Hong-ju, along with a prosecutor and an investigator from special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, attempted to execute a detention warrant for Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center after he repeatedly ignored summonses.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the special counsel team withdrew after about two hours, having reached only the outside of Yoon's cell and directing prison officers to bring him out, which they failed to do. Assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee stated during a press briefing that they advised Yoon to voluntarily comply with the detention warrant, but he refused while lying on the floor without wearing his prison uniform.
The team made multiple demands in intervals before deciding against using physical force, citing potential risks of an accident. Oh mentioned that they informed Yoon the warrant would be enforced next time, potentially involving physical force if necessary.
Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho reported to lawmakers that Yoon removed his prison uniform only after the team's attempt and put it back on once they departed. Yoon reportedly met with his lawyer for an hour later that day.
Yoon's lawyer criticized the special counsel's press briefing, accusing it of mocking Yoon's character and damaging his social reputation. The team aimed to question Yoon over allegations of interference in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections with his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
The court issued the detention warrant after Yoon twice defied the special counsel's summons, citing health issues. Yoon's lawyers presented medical records and a doctor's note indicating potential blindness from an untreated eye condition and difficulty regulating body temperature.
The warrant remains valid until next Thursday, with no plans to execute it on Friday. Oh emphasized the importance of legal equality, urging Yoon to cooperate with the special counsel, given his background as a former prosecutor, prosecutor general, and president.
This is the second detention warrant for Yoon, following his arrest in January by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on insurrection charges related to a martial law attempt. His recent arrest relates to additional martial law charges.
Even if Yoon is brought in for questioning, there is doubt about his compliance. Yoon and his wife allegedly received free opinion polls in exchange for securing a nomination for a parliamentary by-election. Investigations also continue into whether Yoon violated election law by making false statements about his wife's involvement in a stock manipulation scheme during the 2021 presidential primaries. Min's team is tasked with probing 19 criminal allegations against the former first lady.