Seoul: A special counsel team faced a setback as they failed to execute a detention warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol due to his "adamant refusal" to comply, despite being held at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang. The attempt was made on Friday following Yoon's repeated refusal to respond to summonses.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Assistant Special Counsel Moon Hong-ju, alongside a prosecutor and an investigator from special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, arrived at the detention facility with the intent to transfer Yoon for questioning regarding allegations of meddling in candidate nominations during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. However, after two hours, they departed, having been unable to persuade Yoon to leave his cell.
The detention warrant was issued by a court on Thursday after Yoon twice ignored the special counsel's summons, citing health issues. His legal team submitted medical records and a doctor's note, highlighting concerns about his health, including a severe eye ailment.
The warrant remains valid until the following Thursday, but the team does not plan to attempt execution again on Friday. This warrant marks the second issued for Yoon, who was previously detained in January by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. He was held on charges of leading an insurrection through an attempted martial law imposition, only to be released in March.
Yoon's latest arrest came last month on further charges related to the martial law attempt. There is widespread skepticism about whether he will cooperate with any potential interrogation, even if he is forcibly brought in.
The former president and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, are under suspicion of receiving illicit support in the form of opinion polls from Myung Tae-kyun, purportedly in exchange for securing a parliamentary nomination for former Rep. Kim Young-sun. Additionally, Min's team is probing potential election law violations by Yoon, specifically concerning false statements about his wife's alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme.
The special counsel's investigation encompasses 19 criminal allegations against the former first lady, as they continue to delve into the intricate details of the case.