43 days after martial law was declared...First Constitutional President Arrested

■ Host: anchor Lee Se-na, anchor Na Kyung-chul
■ Starring: reporter Baek Jong-gyu

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

[Anchor]
Next, let's look at legal issues with lawyer Son Jeong-hye and reporter Baek Jong-gyu. How are you? Earlier, we listened to President Yoon's lawyers' organized position. There are a number of legal issues, and among them, it has been repeatedly emphasized. Since the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate rebellion, it is illegal to request and issue an arrest warrant to the Western District Court. In the first place, there was a claim that the Central District Court has jurisdiction over cases that are not applicable and cannot be prosecuted. What do you think?

[Son Jeonghye]
That's right. President Yoon's side consistently calls the validity of the warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court illegal, and it seems that the execution of the arrest warrant is illegal and that the people involved should be punished. Various arguments have been made. However, there is a separate method of dissatisfaction within the procedure and within the order in the procedure in which these arrest warrants have already been executed. The procedure for arguing whether an arrest warrant is valid, invalid, legal, or illegal can be referred to as an arrest suit. So, if an arrest warrant is issued in the future, there will be an arrest warrant, and furthermore, there are procedures for dissatisfaction that the suspect can choose within our system, such as applying for suspension of execution of an arrest warrant or requesting bail.

Despite the need to choose such procedures and argue over them, and despite the fact that the court has already decided that the arrest warrant is legal, President Yoon seems to be in the same position. In the morning, I talked about illegality three times in front of the public. As such, it seems that the investigation by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is exercising the right to refuse to make statements because the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit cannot be the subject of the investigation. In future proceedings, it is very likely that the illegality of the investigation will continue to be asserted.

[Anchor]
And lawyer Seok Dong-hyun talked about two provisions of the Corruption Investigations Unit Act, Articles 31 and 26, but Article 31 does not apply to the president. So in the end, it was a clause that came out explaining this issue, whether it was the Western or Central District Court.

[Son Jeonghye]
I think we should look at it like this. Lawyer Seok Dong-hyun seems to be currently holding a public opinion contest as a spokesperson. It seems that they have not submitted their opinions to the investigative agency and have not submitted their opinions to the investigative agency. In particular, despite the fact that all these contents were expressed in the opinion on the arrest warrant, the court now has two judges and the judge who reviewed the objection three times, the conclusion is that the arrest warrant is legal, even if the various provisions of the Corruption Investigations Unit Act are reviewed, there are no violations.

If so, is it reasonable to make a claim to the people that should be made to the court? It's a common argument, I can tell you this. Law enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies are in charge of judging different claims when one side's argument and the other's argument are confronted. In other words, there is a concern about whether it is meaningful to continue to unilaterally and repeatedly claim the situation that should be judged by investigative agencies and courts.

[Anchor]
There was also a saying that they would exercise their permissible rights if procedures were in place, demanding a central court request in accordance with due legal procedures. How can I understand this part?

[Son Jeonghye]
I don't want the president to make a mistake on the wrong side. If the arrest warrant recognized the validity of the arrest warrant and adjusted the investigation schedule, the arrest warrant as the first president would not have been executed. However, even if there are currently illegal, illegal, and unfair things in terms of continuing unilateral claims and causing various situations in which arrest warrants are executed, they are arguing within the system. People can feel sorry for the situation in which they are reluctantly present and investigated only when they ignore the authority and do not follow order and mobilize public power, especially when considering how to record in history, it is time to talk to judges and prosecutors in various arguments rather than distorted the reality perception of one-sided claims. In terms of the fact that it is not time to talk to the people, but the investigation and trial are the time to talk to prosecutors, police, and court judges, I think it is necessary to assert my opinion fully in accordance with the procedure rather than concluding that it is unconditionally illegal.

[Anchor]
And one of the things I was a little puzzled about was that the young staff of the security service were so determined to do such a mission to protect the president that the president responded to the arrest today because there was a fear of a physical conflict. There was an announcement of this position, but it seems that there is a slight difference in temperature.

[Son Jeonghye]
In the end, these remarks are evaluated as being very misleading in interpreting objective facts. It was broadcast in real time from dawn to now that the people were arrested. The possibility of armed conflict in the second round, which was feared in the first round, was significantly low, and the door was actually opened. It passed through the first, second, and third cordon without any risk of collision. As such, there is room for the president to evaluate that if he voluntarily communicated his intention after the first execution, he would respect the opinion and make a big decision. However, when objectively interpreting the situation that the security and these things are coordinated only after the arrest warrant is presented, it is reasonable to evaluate that the arrest warrant came out because it was inevitable because it was difficult to prevent the execution of the arrest warrant rather than because of the crisis of armed conflict. In fact, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit revealed that the execution was completed at 10:33 p.m. Why is this objective fact different from the president's perception and whose words are consistent with objective facts? So, when the president persuades the people and persuades lawyers, he should make a more reasonable and persuasive argument about facts.

[Anchor]
Also curious is that the president is refusing to make a statement in the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, and isn't there a variety of claims made through the lawyers? What kind of legal strategy is this? What do you think?

[Son Jeonghye]
I think it's a strategy. However, it can only be interpreted as an inevitable strategy because, in the end, emergency martial law was legal in relation to the actual truth, it was not unconstitutional and all procedures were followed, and it is difficult to make a substantive claim that this is legal and to claim the subject or jurisdiction of the investigation in various ways, so it is difficult to be judged legally for practical reasons, so I will continue to argue on the procedural part, but various ministries have expressed opinions in the situation of today's arrest. First of all, Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said that this emergency martial law was not legal and that there was a flaw. The Ministry of Economy and Finance also said that this part is not appropriate, and the White House is also expressing its support for the Korean people in the situation of being arrested now and in favor of compliance with constitutional procedures. In other words, we have no choice but to worry that the president's perception is too far from most of the current perception. Was the emergency martial law convincing and justified before claiming that it is currently legal and that various investigations are illegal? So did the prime minister and the members of the State Council persuade them? The answer to that question is insufficient. And I can tell you that the argument is meager.

[Anchor]
I see. So far, we have pointed out legal issues from lawyer Son Jung-hye. Thank you.

[Anchor]
This time, let's look at the series of processes that happened today with reporter Baek Jong-gyu. Reporter Baek Jong-gyu, so much more manpower than various media expected was mobilized early this morning, so could you please sort out the situation at that time?

[Reporter]
This is what the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit said in a briefing a while ago. About 570 police officers were mobilized when the warrant was executed. It is said that about 40 people from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit were mobilized. The total number of people in the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will be about 52 or 53. So, in fact, most of the manpower seems to have run out of the airborne office.

In fact, it was the execution of an arrest warrant for the president of Yoon Suk Yeol like a roller coaster. The second round of execution was completed in about seven hours. A physical collision was expected, but no physical collision occurred. There was virtually no conflict or fierce resistance that I was concerned about. And considering that the police prepared for a long-term war for two nights and three days, the process was completed relatively smoothly and quickly.

If you look at it, there were the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cordons. In the case of the first cordon, there was a barrier. The manpower crossed the ladder. The second cordon had a bus parked, but you can see the scene of detouring next to the bus. Then, there is an iron gate in front of the last official residence, and while confronting the security office staff, Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok and some members of the presidential security office come out.

After the president's representatives, including lawyer Yoon Gap-geun, came out and talked with the prosecutors of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit for a while, we could see some of the prosecutors and police officers entering. Then it took about two hours to get inside and discuss how to execute the warrant. He strongly talked about whether to execute an arrest warrant in it or not, and from the standpoint of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, he would execute an arrest warrant.

And I think the president of Yoon Suk Yeol kept saying that he could not comply with the execution of the arrest warrant. And when I see the lawyers keep saying it's voluntary attendance, but in fact, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has executed an arrest warrant, officially stated. So a coercive forced investigator went into the investigation and arrested him. That's why the execution of this arrest warrant has been completed in about 7 hours.

[Anchor]
As you said, in about 7 hours, I remember that the warrant was presented at around 5 a.m. I left my official residence at around 10:30 p.m., so considering that I expected two nights and three days, it went really fast. So the police would be executed this quickly, wouldn't this have been unexpected? How do you see it?

[Reporter]
The police are likely to have seen the situation half and half today. Because the police have been using a positive temperature strategy. I've been conducting a psychological war to shake up the presidential security service. Building a justification for peaceful arrest and through a three-way meeting in order to cause internal agitation at the security office. Then, he said that if he interfered with the arrest warrant, he would be criminally punished, and that he would excuse employees who refused the command's orders.

So it seems that they have implemented a strategy of inducing division and conciliating at the same time. The police intended to facilitate the execution of arrest warrants while deepening the internal strife at the security office. In addition, five members of the command of the security service were booked on charges of obstructing the execution of special public affairs, most of whom are public officials of Grade 2 or higher. But there's a person named Kim Shin, the head of the family. Kim Shin, the head of the family, is level 3. However, I think the fact that he delivered Grade 3 should be seen as aiming for more division within the security office.

The warrant was executed at a time when the second arrest warrant was executed and the division within the security office was maximized. There are hardliners and moderates inside the bodyguard. As I said, Deputy Chief of Security Kim Sung-hoon and Director Lee Kwang-woo maintained a strong attitude, saying they would protect President Yoon Suk Yeol until the end. Yesterday, he also said he would conduct security according to the security manual. For this reason, you might have expected the presidential security to respond strongly. So I think you would have expected it to be half and half.

[Anchor]
Therefore, the president's side argued that the young security office staff's will was so determined that they had to prevent a mishap, so they voluntarily attended the meeting. In addition, some argue that the security service staff actually cleared the way. I heard that there was some physical fight in front of the residence this early morning. What's going on?

[Reporter]
First of all, the start of the arrest operation started calmly. At around 5:10 a.m., the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit and the police presented a warrant to the Presidential Security Service and sought enforcement cooperation, but in fact, they were blocked by dozens of Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers and members of the People's Power, who claimed to be escorts. It was a situation that was blocked. They raised their voices, saying, "It's not a legitimate execution of public affairs." Among them, protesters gathered and even fought.

At around 6:30 a.m., a woman who opposed the arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol's president lay on the floor in front of his residence and was treated by fire authorities. But this woman did not lose consciousness and refused to be transferred. I was not taken to the hospital because I said I would not go to the food, clothing, and shelter. Since then, there have been rumors that a man injured his leg, and this story has also been reported, but it has been confirmed that he was not seriously injured. The police went through a process of forcibly dispersing the supporters gathered in front of the residence.

[Anchor]
I'll tell you the news that just came in. President Yoon posted a long handwritten letter on his personal SNS today. I stayed up all night at the beginning of the new year and wrote an article for the people. Let's take a look together. Earlier, the president announced a video message, which is a handwritten letter posted on the president's SNS. It is said to be the title of a letter to the people.

I heard that I stayed up all night to write it myself. To give you a brief message, I spent a lot of time alone after the impeachment. And it is said that it was a time to realize that he was the president. He also argued for the legitimacy of martial law, saying that he sent troops to inform the people of the urgency and protect the constitutional order.

[Anchor]
If you look at the handwritten letter on the screen right now, it looks like a pretty long letter, about four or five pages long. And it starts with "Did you have a lot of good dreams in the new year?" I hope you have a lot of happy things in the new year of Eulsa, and I think I wrote about four such letters.

[Anchor]
And it was not a crime against martial law, but an exercise of presidential authority to overcome the crisis. It is said that there are no regrets no matter what.

[Anchor]
It seems that he posted a handwritten letter on his personal SNS today along with a message to the people and a video message. Also, according to Chief of Staff Chung Jin-seok, the most important thing for me at this moment is not to hurt the people before President Yoon moves from his official residence today. It is said that he said that he would fight with the people until the end. It's kind of a public opinion battle, right?

[Reporter]
That's right. First of all, President Yoon Suk Yeol sent an autographed message to citizens who opposed impeachment, who held a rally in front of his residence on New Year's Day. I think that's why it was aimed at rallying supporters ahead of the execution of the arrest warrant. And Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers continued to compete similarly. But I just saw the social media content today. According to
martial law is not actually illegal, but it is the authority that the president can do. That's what we're talking about. I think it's a collection of what I've been talking about. However, there was a story that President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyer said the other day. He said that the emergency martial law that the president thinks of and the emergency martial law that ordinary citizens think of would have a different meaning. However, I think we should consider whether this content of President Yoon Suk Yeol is the logic that is used by the general public. It seems to be a little different from the president's opinion on why the investigative agency is investigating the crime of rebellion. I think we need to look at this part separately.

[Anchor]
If you look at the message posted on President Yoon's personal SNS and the president's video message statement that we saw earlier, it's interpreted as a message to supporters. This scene you're seeing now, the scene where the president arrived at the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. In fact, while watching this live, we wanted to see the president's face continuously, but something is constantly hidden. I think the vehicle in front of me was trying to cover it strategically so that the president could not be seen entering, but he was reluctant to show the president as much as possible.

[Reporter]
Although his duties have been suspended, the incumbent president is subject to security under the Security Act. Therefore, there may be some information discussed in advance, but security is provided according to the security manual. Generally speaking, when the president enters a building, he or she has to do some events or some work in that building, and then he or she empties the entire floor. And before emptying that floor, the security staff all go and check for explosives, hazardous facilities, and harmful environments. After looking at all those things, the president is supposed to enter. However, there was a disturbance inside the security office. And inside the security office, the young security office staff told you that there was a lot of agitation and confusion. But actually, if you show me that picture again, the security office is now diagonally blocking the president from entering the Gwacheon Government Complex and the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. In fact, I think it should be considered that the security was not properly secured. Because when the president enters an institution, the backside comes out now. You can see a part of me. In fact, if you look at the security service's work manual, this may not be allowed. That's why the inside of the security office is confusing, I think it's evidence of things like this. So the back of the president seems to show some of the confusion and agitation within the security service.

[Anchor] President
Yoon arrived at the Gwacheon Government Complex at around 10:53 a.m. today by a security vehicle and the morning investigation began at 11 a.m. And after a short break, the investigation began around 2:40 p.m., and it is known that he continues to refuse to make statements. How is the investigation going now?

[Reporter]
Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers have been talking about President Yoon Suk Yeol's right to veto statements for a long time. First of all, in the case of the morning investigation, Lee Jae-seung, deputy head of the airborne department, conducted it. The deputy head of the department conducted the investigation himself because he is an incumbent president and the issue is important. In the afternoon, senior prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan will proceed. It is said that the investigation began around 2:40 p.m. First of all, the most basic premise is that the president cannot be investigated by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit cannot investigate the crime of rebellion. That's why you can't arrest, you can't claim an arrest warrant, you can't claim an arrest warrant, and you've requested an arrest warrant and got it, but you can't admit that arrest warrant. That's why the president has denied the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. Therefore, it is considered natural for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to use the right to refuse statements because it was said that it was unconstitutional or illegal to be investigated by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. If we continue to put together the positions of the president in the past. So, from the perspective of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, you have to request an arrest warrant within 48 hours, but the time is very short. It's going to be a bit of a difficult situation for now. So for now, I think the investigation will continue. Late-night surveys are also expected to continue. Because the time is short, the late-night survey continues after 9 p.m. Now, in case of emergency reasons such as requesting an arrest warrant, a late-night investigation is possible, so I predict that a late-night investigation will take place today.

[Anchor]
In fact, the president said in a video message that he does not directly admit the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, and the controversy over the investigation rights and the investigation rights of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has been suspected. How are you analyzing this part?

[Reporter]
For now, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has no right to investigate But the Western District Court issued a warrant. So, it can be seen that the controversy over the investigative power was virtually eliminated by issuing an arrest warrant. However, the president is not admitting it now. While executing the arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol this time, if he fails this time, he is on the verge of extinction.

Because I've never been arrested before. The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is in charge of the biggest case since its launch, but as I told you earlier, there are only about 50 personnel from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. Compared to the prosecution and the police, the difference in manpower alone is enormous. So when you take charge of the investigation, do you really have the manpower or ability to investigate the incumbent president? Is it going to be space or something like that? These questions kept coming up.

And during the first execution, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit and the police executed an arrest warrant together. But at that time, the police tried to arrest the guards who blocked the execution, but there was a part that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit stopped. As a result, this question was raised as to whether the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit had the will to execute. However, as the arrest warrant was executed this time, the police and the police boldly stepped forward to execute the arrest warrant and arrest it, so this concern, capability, and will of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit are expected to be confirmed once again while investigating the president.

[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is investigating President Yoon, and the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has set up a separate facility inside the building to investigate President Yoon.

[Anchor]
And if you look at the Constitutional Court, the first hearing of the impeachment trial ended yesterday with the president not attending in four minutes, and the second hearing is scheduled tomorrow, but the president was arrested today. Then the president can't attend tomorrow, right?

[Reporter]
I don't think I'll be able to attend for now. First of all, President Yoon Suk Yeol said that he would attend the right opportunity at an appropriate time when personal safety or security issues were resolved. And what lawyer Seok Dong-hyun said to reporters today was that in the case of the impeachment trial, he will attend without being daunted, but he will attend once the issue is settled.

So, tomorrow is probably a situation to be investigated, and as I said, I should have discussed personal safety and security issues with the Constitutional Court in advance, but there was no such time because of the execution of the arrest warrant. That's why I don't think I can attend tomorrow. I think we will attend next time, but I don't think we can expect it by designating the 3rd anniversary like this. First of all, as President Yoon Suk Yeol focuses on public opinion, he is expected to set a time when he needs to be arrested, investigated, and requested an arrest warrant.

[Anchor]
I see. So far, we have reviewed the arrest and investigation of President Yoon with reporter Baek Jong-kyu. Thank you.