Chief of security, unexpectedly, police appearance...Resignation processing during investigation

■ Host: Yoo Da-won Anchor, Kim Myung-geun Anchor
■ Starring: Baek Jong-gyu, Social Affairs Reporter

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN New Square 8PM] when quoting.

[Anchor]
This time, we will take a closer look at the investigation into the emergency martial law situation with Baek Jong-kyu, a reporter from the Ministry of Social Affairs. Please come in. This morning, Chief of Security Park Jong-joon attended a police investigation. Earlier, I submitted my resignation letter and even heard that acting authority Choi Sang-mok accepted it, so please explain today's situation first.

[Reporter]
Today's summons was the third summons. There were observations that Park Jong-joon, the head of the security service, would not comply with the third summons today, but he attended a police investigation. However, it is known that he submitted a letter of resignation to Acting President Choi Sang-mok before attending. The security service announced the submission of Park's resignation this afternoon. Immediately after the announcement, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance announced that Acting President Choi had accepted the resignation. Since then, the bodyguard has been reported to operate under the system of acting deputy bodyguard, Kim Sung-hoon, according to the relevant regulations. The police are investigating Minister Park on charges of obstructing the execution of special public affairs from 10 a.m. today. Director Park voluntarily appeared today after refusing to comply with the police's two previous requests for summons.

[Anchor]
This morning, Park Jong-joon, the former head of the security service, made a surprise appearance at the police and emphasized that the investigation process suitable for the current presidential status should proceed. What does this mean?

[Reporter]
Inside and outside the police, various scenarios have been expected, such as whether Director Park Jong-joon continues to refuse to comply with the investigation, or appointing a lawyer to adjust the attendance schedule, or responding to the third final request for attendance. In the end, Director Park chose to appoint a lawyer at the end to respond to the final request for attendance. Director Park emphasized that the investigation process should be carried out suitable for the current presidential status. He explained that it is not the current procedure for executing arrest warrants, and that he hopes the appropriate investigation process will proceed to the president in accordance with the national character of Korea. When asked if he would prevent a legally issued arrest warrant, he declined to say that he would speak during the investigation because there were several legal theories. It also means that it is unacceptable for the president to be arrested and investigated by an investigative agency. Therefore, it seems to have emphasized this message that it is unfair for the police to execute the second arrest warrant for President Yoon. Everything from the sudden attendance to the resignation during the investigation was disclosed. Some analysts say that the police were caught off guard by Chief Park, a former deputy chief of the National Police Agency. The police are said to have been considering compulsory investigations, including applying for an arrest warrant, as Minister Park is likely to fail to comply with the request for his third appearance today.

[Anchor]
He didn't comply with the summons request twice, but he attended this time. As you explained earlier, there was an observation that there was a possibility of not responding this time as expected. Why is he here? What's the reason?

[Reporter]
Although there is a risk of emergency arrest if Minister Park attends the police, many analysts say that he decided to attend to gather supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol. If you look at the reason. Director Park's attendance and time were informed to the media in advance. And it seemed that you prepared a message in advance. On the 5th, Minister Park also announced his position on the execution of arrest warrants through video, not in writing. Since then, President Yoon's supporters have actively defended the bodyguard and rallied. If an emergency arrest or arrest warrant is filed in response to Minister Park's investigation, the resistance of President Yoon's supporters to the police investigation is expected to be stronger. Since he/she voluntarily attended, he/she seems to have considered the possibility of the warrant being dismissed on the grounds that there is no fear of escape.

[Anchor]
Before the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon, former Chief of Security Park Jong-joon attended the police and met a watershed moment in this case. In other words, some analysts say that it marked a turning point.

[Reporter]
There is a possibility that the police may apply for an arrest warrant after urgently arresting Minister Park during the investigation, considering the seriousness of the matter. But Deputy Director Kim Sung-hoon told you that he was acting. Actually, I got a summons from the police tomorrow. This is the third summons. Attention has been paid to whether Deputy Chief Kim will comply with the police summons notice tomorrow. If you do not attend, you may apply for a police arrest warrant. If so, there is a situation in which both the head of the security service and the deputy head of the department may become vacant. Ahead of the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon, the security agency will lose its command and lose its strength. For this reason, it is said that Kim Sung-hoon's attendance tomorrow could be an inflection point ahead of the execution of the second arrest warrant for President Yoon.

[Anchor]
I think the police strategy will inevitably be modified with the attendance of Director Park, so how did the police try to execute the second arrest warrant for President Yoon so far?

[Reporter]
Until this morning, the head of the security service did not comply with the police summons. The deputy head of the security service, Lee Kwang-woo, and Lee Jin-ha, the head of the security and safety division, were all absent from the police. The police seem to have analyzed that if an arrest warrant, which is their compulsory investigation method, is issued and executed with an arrest warrant for President Yoon, the power of the defying bodyguard can be relieved. However, with the presence of Park Jong-joon, the head of the security service, it seems that some of the police's warrant execution scenarios have been twisted. There is also an analysis that Minister Park indirectly induced leniency for executives under the security service. Some analysts say that he laid the groundwork for taking all possibilities, including arrest, at a time when security officials were booked one after another and refused to comply with the summons. Some analysts say that if all the security officers are excluded from the scene, the attendance is to prevent further disruptions in the execution of arrest warrants. As a result, all those from inside the security service are expected to be responsible for the second arrest deterrence operation instead of Chief Park Jong-joon, who was a former security service member.

[Anchor]
There are such interpretations, but as soon as Park Jong-joon, the former chief of security, responded to the police's third summons, the president also issued a message against it, what content did it contain?

[Reporter]
It's about running aground on national security. I emphasized it like this. At the same time, the current situation is to let those who do their jobs abandon their duties. He said it was an abnormal act that he would not even care about national security. He also explained that the refusal to execute illegal arrest warrants and search for military secret sites is a natural measure based on the rule of law and law. Rather, he also mentioned that the responsibility of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit and the police to enforce illegal execution of official duties should be pointed out. The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit also explained that the prosecution is accused of obstructing the execution of special public affairs for the execution of illegal warrants. At the same time, he claimed to notify the prosecution of the summons schedule for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit immediately.

[Anchor]
And the Ministry of National Defense also said it would not send military troops to block the execution of arrest warrants. President Yoon also voiced criticism about this, right?

[Reporter] Yoon Gap-geun, a lawyer for President Yoon
, has issued a statement on this. The chief of the Ministry of National Defense, who ordered the notification, argued that he would have to take strict legal responsibility because he committed anti-state acts that harm the security of the country beyond dereliction of duty. The 55 Guard Corps' mission to guard the presidential residence is to guard the exterior of the presidential residence, which is a national security facility and a military secret protection zone, he said, stressing that the presidential residence should be protected under the command of the security agency. President Yoon Suk Yeol also criticized acting Defense Minister Kim Sun-ho for contacting the 55th Guard Corps unit chief of the Army's water defense unit in charge of outer security and instructing that there should be no physical conflict with the police. At the same time, he emphasized that security forces are not obligated to follow illegal and unfair instructions.

[Anchor]
On the other hand, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, which has now reissued the presidential arrest warrant, is reiterating its willingness to re-enforce it. Is the atmosphere of trying to execute the second arrest warrant detected?

[Reporter]
The Joint Investigation Headquarters was reissued an arrest warrant by the Western District Court on the 7th. So today is the fourth day. However, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has not made any special moves yet. It is known that they are planning specific execution times and methods while continuing consultations with the police. As he has already faced criticism for failing the first execution attempt, he seems to be supplementing and paying attention to the second execution attempt. For this reason, the expiration date of the warrant has not been disclosed. Usually, the validity period of the arrest warrant is about 7 days, but this time, it is known that it has secured a longer time than 7 days. It is said that the statute of limitations for execution of warrants has been secured for about two weeks. However, the exact statute of limitations is not known.

[Anchor]
The police called the investigation officers of the metropolitan area's investigation team and sent an official letter yesterday containing the investigator's mobilization order. Given this situation, the warrant is imminent to be re-executed, can I look at it like this?

[Reporter]
Given this situation, it is difficult to predict that the execution of an arrest warrant is imminent. As the first attempt to execute an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol has failed, it is absurd to increase manpower. Police today called in commanders to be deployed to the scene ahead of the execution of the second arrest warrant for Yoon Suk Yeol's president. The National Police Agency's National Police Agency said that the heads of the metropolitan area's investigation teams, including Seoul and Gyeonggi, should gather at the National Police Agency's National Police Agency at 2 p.m. today. The convocation targets are known to be the commanders, including the head of each investigation team's criminal activities and the head of the drug crime investigation. The National Assembly seems to have shared a detailed plan for the execution of the second arrest warrant and discussed its feasibility and legal issues. The commanders gathered here were senior superintendent-level officers, and it was confirmed that the meeting was held for about two hours. It's confirmed.

[Anchor]
Yesterday, the police sent an official letter to the metropolitan area's regional investigation team, the security investigation team, and the Masu University, containing an order to mobilize investigations. What kind of police personnel are you talking about?

[Reporter]
The Criminal Task Force has its local office. He is not only in charge of cases within the local office, but also in charge of external cases while crossing external jurisdiction. It is an organization that responds quickly to violent crimes. The Criminal Investigation Unit will be in charge of wide-area cases and cases of great social interest. If you look at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, it is about 500. However, a significant number of them are expected to be mobilized. In addition to drugs and security, as you said, if additional detectives join the Masudae, it is expected to reach 1,000 personnel. However, the official document does not specify the exact date, time, and size of the mobilization. It seems that professional personnel from the Criminal Task Force will directly take action against employees of the security service who are suspected of obstructing the execution of public affairs. In addition, there is a possibility of night execution, and some analysts say that it is more likely to be executed during the day than at night because accountability can be raised once people are injured.

[Anchor]
On the other hand, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was put on trial under arrest on charges of rebellion and obstruction of the exercise of rights to abuse his authority, but today, Kim's lawyers held a meeting. What did this mean when you claimed that the emergency martial law investigation was an act of rebellion?

[Reporter]
Kim's lawyers stressed that the investigation into the rebellion is a real rebellion led by political forces trying to remove President Yoon politically. The prosecution's indictment is a wrong answer note that incorrectly stated that the subject of the civil war was President Un. Also, the entire page of former Minister Kim's indictment is 83 pages. However, on this page 1, there is a prosecution related to abuse of authority. Criticizing this, he explained that there is only one page in which the prosecution has the authority to investigate. At the same time, he claimed that he was concealing the illegality of the entire investigation by forcibly inserting the prosecution of abuse of authority. He also said that the president's appearance dozens of times in the prosecution's indictment means that there is no evidence of former Minister Kim's charges. He also protested that it was a shameful intention to announce the charges against the president and hold a public opinion trial by framed. Former Minister Kim's lawyer also covered President Yoon.
In the end, as the observation that the execution of the second arrest warrant is imminent, not only President Yoon's side, but also the security service and former Minister Kim's side appear to be in the public opinion battle. There is also an atmosphere where supporters of Yoon Suk Yeol's president gather and send a message to prevent arrest.

[Anchor]
On the other hand, as it was belatedly confirmed that the National Human Rights Commission of Korea presented the president's right to defend himself to the plenary committee, there are voices of criticism from not only the civil society but also from within the Human Rights Commission. What is this about?

[Reporter]
Five non-standing members, including Kim Yong-won, Han Seok-hoon, Kim Jong-min, Lee Han-byul, and Kang Jung-hye, proposed this agenda. However, Chairman Ahn Chang-ho even paid for it. If you look at the contents of the agenda, it recommends that the head of the Constitutional Court thoroughly guarantee President Yoon's right to defend the impeachment trial. He also told the head of the Central District Court to strictly examine arrest and detention in martial law-related trials and to actively grant bail. He also recommended that the prosecutor general investigate without physical detention and not over-extend the request for an arrest warrant. He also recommended that the National Assembly speaker withdraw the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Deok-soo. He also said that as the declaration of martial law is a unique authority granted to the president by the Constitution, detailed planning is not to be faulted or criticized as long as the president has decided to declare martial law. He also wrote that the National Assembly has abused the impeachment motion without justifiable reasons by using the number of seats in the opposition party as a weapon. In response, the Joint Action to Correct the Human Rights Commission, a group of civic groups, urged the agenda to be withdrawn immediately. He emphasized, "It does not meet the purpose of the Human Rights Commission to guarantee the human rights and dignity of everyone and prevent discrimination." There are also criticisms from within the Human Rights Commission. As this fact became controversial, the standing committee members who proposed the agenda again expressed their position that it was a measure to overcome the national crisis.

[Anchor]
I see. That's all for today. I'm Baek Jong-gyu, a reporter from the Ministry of Social Affairs. Thank you.