Seoul: A special counsel team investigating the alleged martial law attempt by former President Yoon Suk Yeol faced yet another setback as Yoon refused to comply with a summons for questioning. Despite being held at the Seoul Detention Center since his second arrest last Thursday, Yoon declined to appear at the special counsel's office for questioning scheduled for Monday afternoon.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the special counsel team made efforts to secure Yoon's appearance, but the former president remained uncooperative. Assistant special counsel Park Ji-young stated during a press briefing that correctional authorities found it challenging to enforce the instruction to bring Yoon to the interrogation room. Park emphasized the difficulty in using physical force due to Yoon's status as a former president.

The special counsel team had submitted an official request to the head of the Seoul Detention Center to present Yoon at the Seoul High Prosecutors Office by 3:30 p.m. Despite their persistence, Yoon did not leave his detention cell. Park highlighted that while Yoon has the right to remain silent, he does not have the right to refuse to appear for questioning.

Yoon's legal team maintained that he would not attend the questioning, referencing a previously submitted statement of absence and asserting that circumstances had not changed. Although Yoon cited health issues as a reason for his absence from a prior scheduled questioning, the special counsel team confirmed that his health condition was not severe enough to prevent his attendance.

Yoon's arrest was based on charges including the alleged violation of rights of Cabinet members and creating a false martial law declaration document. He is accused of involving high-ranking officials in signing the document post-declaration and discarding it to lend legitimacy to his actions. Additional accusations involve issuing false statements through the presidential spokesperson and obstructing investigations by ordering the deletion of secure phone call records.

This marks the second arrest of Yoon, with the first occurring in January while he was still in office. His initial arrest was annulled by the court, leading to his release in March. The ongoing investigation continues to unfold as the special counsel team navigates the challenges posed by Yoon's non-compliance.