■ Host: Lee Yeo-jin, anchor Jang Won-seok
■ Starring: Baek Jong-gyu, YTN social affairs reporter, lawyer Kim Sung-soo
* 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]
Let's take a look at it with Baek Jong-kyu, a reporter from the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Kim Sung-soo, a lawyer. Welcome. For the first time in constitutional history, an arrest warrant has been requested for a sitting president. As expected, I requested a warrant from the Western District Court. How did you like it?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I was expecting that the possibility of the Western District Court would be higher. First of all, it can be said that an arrest warrant was requested due to an arrest warrant, but the arrest warrant itself was issued by the Western District Court, right? As a result, I think it was possible to predict that there would be a request for an arrest warrant in the Western District Court. However, there was a claim that there was no jurisdiction in this regard, so there was a question of whether it could be requested to the Central District Court, but as I said, I think it was the Western District Court through the arrest warrant court issued because it was based on an arrest warrant.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-kyu, what did the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit reveal after requesting an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol?
[Reporter]
That's right. First of all, he said that the warrant request reception time is around 5:40 p.m. The charges are a rebellion leader, abuse of authority. Basically, the arrest warrant now considers the seriousness of the crime and the risk of recidivism, but the bill is said to amount to about 150 pages. In particular, the bill was very helpful in this warrant because the National Assembly actively shared the data. The prosecution also provided a key suspect interrogation report, which was comprehensively reflected in the warrant.
In addition, about six to seven prosecutors, including the chief prosecutor, said they would attend the substantive examination. And the screening schedule is to be decided by the court, so this is something to be seen. He also said, "Is there anything added to the arrest warrant differently from the arrest warrant for abuse of authority?" and said, "The arrest warrant only lists the representative crimes, and it is not important whether it is added or not." First of all, the president is refusing to investigate the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. However, I also said that there is no obstacle to the preparation of the warrant for this part.
As you said earlier, we also talked about the reason for the Western District Court's claim. Based on Article 31 of the Corruption Investigations Unit Act, an arrest warrant was requested from the court that usually obtained an arrest warrant. In the existing Western District Court or Central District Court, the jurisdiction court issue was resolved to some extent in the dismissal of the suitability trial, and the judgment was also reflected. And when I asked what the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit would do in the future, it has been investigating according to laws and principles and will continue to try to follow laws and procedures. I made a request for a warrant and explained that I would wait for it to be issued.
[Anchor]
As the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requests an arrest warrant today, it is expected to be concluded within the weekend after the warrant review is held tomorrow.
[Kim Sung-soo]
That's right. If you look at Article 201-1 of the Criminal Procedure Act, isn't it a suspect who has an arrest warrant issued when an arrest warrant is requested? In that case, unless there are special circumstances, the interrogation is supposed to be conducted the day after the warrant is requested. Therefore, it is expected that the newspaper date will be held tomorrow, but if it is in the morning or afternoon when the newspaper date is opened, it is still difficult to estimate when the conclusion will be made.
[Anchor]
How long will it take to conduct a substantive review?
[Kim Sung-soo]
This can be an issue of how much you argue about the facts of the case. Once you explain the procedure, you will be notified of the right to refuse to make a statement. There is a part where you say that you can refuse to make a statement to the suspect and that if you talk about this part, the disadvantage can work against you, and you do a recognized newspaper. It goes through a process to check if it's the right person.
In addition, the crime stated in the warrant request and the reason for arrest will be notified. Isn't there a crime that the prosecution and the prosecutor of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit claim? So if you announce that there is this part and this reason for arrest, the judge will interrogate the suspect after this. Does the suspect have this or not? You ask these things, and then if there is another third party, the judge will interrogate the third party, and the prosecutor and the attorney will make their respective opinions.
In the opinion statement section, if you argue sharply about facts and concerns about escape, it can take a long time, so what happens is the most important part. After that, you will go through this process of making the suspect's opinion statement. If President Yoon Suk Yeol, the person concerned, does not attend tomorrow, newspapers and opinion statements about the suspect may be omitted, so this could be a variable.
[Anchor]
Earlier, the president said the president would attend the hearing on the warrant. I was in this position. What do you think?
[Reporter]
I had a clue about that. If you file a pre-arrest warrant with the Central District Court prior to your previous arrest, you will then actively express your opinion. Actually, the premise is a little different now, so I think that's a little different. So far, Seok Dong-hyun, a lawyer for President Yoon Suk Yeol, has met with President Yoon Suk Yeol at the Seoul Detention Center, where he was detained today, and he said he would decide whether to attend the warrant review after seeing whether to request a warrant. But there are two possibilities right now. Being present and not being present. He said that he would not recognize the investigative power of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit if he did not attend.
And I said that the warrant issued by the Western District Court was unconstitutional and illegal, so I won't just appear as if I didn't cooperate with the investigation. I can reveal it like this. The other thing is that you're going to attend. Since they have the right to defend themselves, in fact, arrest and arrest are so different in weight that if they say they can actively express their opinions to guarantee their right to defend themselves, they will be present.
[Anchor]
Yoon's defense attorney said he would go to the warrant review and explain the unfair aspect of the alleged rebellion, but whether the president, who is the party to the arrest, will attend or not. Will the screening be affected accordingly?
[Kim Sung-soo]
The presence of the president may eventually have an important relationship with the exercise of the suspect's right to defend himself. Therefore, having a newspaper or such a procedure itself can be seen as a procedure that allows the suspect to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant after exercising his right to defend himself. Therefore, if you do not attend, it is a part to consider how the court will accept this.
However, even if he does not attend, the part stated verbally by the attorney or submitted in writing should be premised when the standard of arrest eventually becomes a considerable doubt that he has committed a crime. And now, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit claims that there is a considerable part to doubt about the two charges of abuse of authority or civil war, so how will the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit argue that there is one and the defense counsel will argue that there is none?
Therefore, even if the party is not present, if there is something that the court can persuade, it can be an important part of issuing a warrant, so we have to see what this will be like, but as I said, it is uncertain how the court will accept the party's absence, so we have no choice but to consider this.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-gyu, didn't the president travel in a security car when he was moving from his residence to the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit or from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to the Seoul Detention Center? If I were to attend the warrant review, how would I move?
[Reporter]
When I executed the arrest warrant, I actually had to travel in a vehicle from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, but I actually traveled in a security vehicle at the request of the security service. However, if you have to go to the court from the Seoul Detention Center, you have to take a convoy from the Ministry of Justice. Only prison guards and the president of Yoon Suk Yeol will be in the convoy without any other inmates. Since the security service staff cannot get in the convoy together, security is expected to be secured in the form of a security vehicle catching up around the convoy.
It is about 23km from the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do to the Western District Court in Gongdeok-dong, Seoul. The convoy will move along the usual route. After receiving the suspect's interrogation before arrest in the court, he/she moves back to the detention center in a convoy. However, this premise is that President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the warrant review.
[Anchor]
Seok Dong-hyun, a lawyer for President Yoon Suk Yeol, said he would do his best to prepare for an arrest warrant, but what is the most controversial part when he attends the warrant review?
[Kim Sung-soo]
Eventually, Article 70 of the Criminal Procedure Act becomes an issue. This is the most important part where Article 70 specifies the reasons for the arrest and there is considerable reason to suspect that the accused committed the crime mentioned earlier. And next, there are two requirements: the fear of destroying evidence or the fear of escaping. Therefore, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will try to prove as much as possible through statements from related suspects that there is considerable reason to suspect that the accused has committed a crime.
And there are also related rules in the case of evidence destruction or flight concerns. According to the related rules, in the case of fear of escape, the circumstances of the crime, whether or not to turn himself in, the personal circumstances of the suspect, whether or not he can easily give up his job, and in the case of fear of destroying evidence, whether there is evidence that is subject to destruction, whether the evidence has a decisive effect on the destruction of evidence, and how the suspect's situation can influence the destruction of evidence physically and socially.
Therefore, since these parts are related to each rule, there is a concern of destroying evidence or fleeing, and the suspect will answer that there is no such part. That's why that can be the biggest issue. In this regard, from the court's point of view, the issue will be whether the reason for Article 70 can be established, so we will have to wait and see.
[Anchor]
As a lawyer, what do you think is the possibility of issuing an arrest warrant?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think it's really hard to predict this part. It seems that the issue will be to what extent considerable reasons to suspect that they have committed a crime are explained, but aren't there many suspects who are arrested by suspects in related cases? So there's a lot of evidence that comes out of that fact, and when you submit it to the court, the issue can be whether this can be seen as a vindication of President Yoon Suk Yeol's actions.
And there must be some clarification on this part of the fear of escape and the destruction of evidence, but wasn't there a lot of disputes in the execution process of the arrest warrant right now? This can be seen as a fear of escape. Therefore, it is difficult to predict how the court judges this and concerns about the destruction of evidence because it maintains the current position of the incumbent president anyway, so it will be difficult to predict in the current state because it will judge whether it is a position that can attempt to destroy evidence socially.
[Anchor]
Is the failure to comply with the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit yesterday and again today one of the factors that increase the possibility of issuing a warrant?
[Kim Sung-soo]
If you actively respond to the investigation and the investigation statement is reliable, there is a possibility that you will judge that there is no fear of destroying evidence, and without that part, it can be a fact that can be judged to be more likely to destroy evidence or flee, so I think the court will also comprehensively review that part.
[Anchor]
News has come out that the president of Yoon Suk Yeol has responded. Through the lawyers, President Yoon himself announced his position in a letter. It's a letter written by the
detention center.
It's a little uncomfortable, but I'm doing well in the detention center. There is a content that we thank the people for their passionate patriotism.
From the president's inauguration speech to the March 1 Independence Day anniversary speech to the public, I am looking back on the state of affairs that have been passed while re-reading the words I have said to the people. I heard that many people are coming out to the cold streets and joining forces for the country, so thank you. This is what it's about.
To summarize again, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Western District Court for the first time in its constitutional history. About 30 minutes later, President Yoon Suk Yeol announced his position through his lawyers at the Seoul Detention Center. It's a little uncomfortable, but I'm doing well. The letter briefly contains a message thanking the hot people for their patriotism.
Earlier, when the lawyers had an interview, they said they were doing well, but you wrote a handwritten letter yourself again.
[Reporter]
If you look at the contents, it means that he is doing well at the detention center. And I also said I was looking back on the last presidential term. One thing that is noteworthy here is that many people are coming out to the cold streets and joining forces for the country. I think this is the part to pay attention to. Because in fact, both pro-impeachment and anti-impeachment rallies are being held. By the way, the fact that you are gathering your strength for the country can be seen as a de facto message to the supporters. I think there is such a purpose or intention to gather supporters in this way, saying, "Please be well with your supporters and give them a little strength."
[Anchor]
Even so, as the news of the request for an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol spread a little while ago, there was news that supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol near the Seoul Western District Court protested. Is there anything else that came in?
[Reporter]
First of all, the contents from the site have not been confirmed yet. Naturally, there are evaluations that there is a high possibility that a warrant will be requested and a warrant will be issued. In fact, if a warrant is issued, it will have to continue to be investigated and investigated in custody. So, of course, the supporters have no choice but to raise their voices toward the court if the warrant is issued to the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit.
[Anchor]
In our breaking news, protesters are now scrambling to form a scrum and confronting the police around the Western District Court. So the police started warning the protesters. I heard that they are doing a warning broadcast like this, don't interfere with business, but in this case, what charges can the protesters be punished for?
[Kim Sung-soo]
If this behavior of protesters interferes with the execution of public affairs, and if it can be recognized as assault or intimidation, there is room for obstruction of public affairs or obstruction of special public affairs. In addition, the current assembly and demonstration should be legally held based on the Assembly Act, and if there is a violation of that, you can order dissolution, and if you do not comply with it, there are criminal penalties. Therefore, even that part can be a legal issue.
[Anchor]
I also delivered a message from President Yoon Suk Yeol, but he has been staying in the Seoul Detention Center ever since he was investigated by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit on the day of his arrest. Reporter Baek Jong-gyu, are you living the same as the general audience?
[Reporter]
I don't think it's exactly the same. First of all, there are two suspect waiting rooms in the Seoul Detention Center. After President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested, he was investigated by the Airborne Service on the first day. I'm staying alone in the waiting room for a suspect. There are one-room TVs and bedding, and CCTV footage is taken 24 hours a day in the waiting room.
In fact, the Seoul Detention Center has made a policy. The presidential bodyguards are waiting at the office building because they have made this policy not to come inside the detention center. The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requested an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. If a warrant is issued after a court review, President Yoon Suk Yeol will have to move to the detention center in Seoul Detention Center, not to the waiting room for the suspect.
[Anchor]
What changes when you move to Suyeong-dong?
[Reporter]
If you move to Suyeong-dong, it is expected that you will assign it to a room where you live alone and accommodate it separately from other inmates. However, there have been no cases in which an incumbent president has been detained in a detention center. Therefore, it is impossible to estimate the level of courtesy of security and security, so the detention center and the Presidential Security Service are discussing this. In correctional facilities such as detention centers and prisons, the use of solitary rooms is common, but inmates who are deemed inappropriate to share a room with other inmates may use solitary rooms at the discretion of correctional authorities.
Therefore, President Yoon Suk Yeol is still subject to security and security as an incumbent president because he is expected to use solitary confinement. Therefore, we will assign solitary confinement to former Presidents Park Geun Hye and Lee Myung Bak, who were previously housed in correctional facilities. These are the prospects.
[Anchor]
If an arrest warrant is issued by the court, wouldn't an arrest investigation take place for up to 20 days? However, since the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the authority to prosecute the president, it should be investigated separately with the prosecution, what do you expect?
[Kim Sung-soo]
As you said, it is a maximum of 20 days and in principle 10 days. And it's been about three days now. Therefore, it can be seen that there is a period of about 6 to 7 days, and then it can be extended for about 10 days. It is said that it is a maximum of 20 days because it can be extended only once, and the current story is that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit and the prosecution said they would set aside 10 or 10 days for this part. If that happens, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will have time to investigate the rest of the data except for the suspect's interrogation, and I think I will tell the prosecution that we investigated this part by handing over the data I investigated to the prosecution.
Then the prosecution will judge this part again. So, it will go through the process of judging whether there are any missing parts once again, writing an indictment accordingly, and filing a prosecution accordingly, so I can tell you that once a warrant is issued, 20 days is very short. Since the prosecution is filed immediately after that, it can proceed very quickly until the trial.
[Anchor]
After the arrest suit was dismissed now, Yoon Gap-geun, a lawyer for the president, expressed his position that he would not respond to the investigation by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit in the future. Even if an arrest warrant is issued, do you think you will not cooperate with the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think it will be the same as before. Since the president of Yoon Suk Yeol's continued claim that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has no investigative power, he will not be investigated by an investigative agency without investigative power. And if the case is transferred to the prosecution, the issue can be whether the prosecution can be considered to have the right to investigate, but the part that claims that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate the abuse of authority, but the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate the abuse of authority and related crimes.
However, the structure of this part is the same for the prosecution. In the case of the prosecution, abuse of authority on corruption crimes is within the scope of direct investigation, and rebellion can be investigated only by related crimes.
Therefore, if it is the same logic, some may say that the prosecution has no right to investigate, so I think President Yoon Suk Yeol has no choice but to think about this. In addition, while the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has refused to make a statement, there are many parts that have to be considered by the prosecution, so I think they will think a lot about whether to make a statement.
[Anchor]
If you continue to refuse to comply with the investigation, what do you see as the possibility of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit being forced into custody? I didn't force an arrest warrant because there was no clear regulation at the time of the arrest warrant, but if an arrest warrant is issued, wouldn't it be another story?
[Kim Sung-soo]
In the case of arrest warrants, there are cases where they were forcibly arrested and carried out. However, in the end, even if you do a forced recruitment or an investigation into an actual detention center, if you don't make a statement in the end, there is no benefit, so I think the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has no choice but to think about whether to proceed with this procedure. When a suspect's interrogation report is written, the contents written here are the same as what I said, and there is a part where you seal it to this effect, but I think the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will also consider this because it can be a little burdensome to do such a compulsory act to receive a record without stamping it.
[Anchor]
How do you think the investigation will proceed in the future if the warrant is rejected by the court?
[Reporter]
If President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest warrant is not issued and rejected, he will be released immediately. The investigation without detention will begin. President Yoon Suk Yeol will move to his official residence in Hannam-dong and return home. At the same time, the investigation will be continued by summoning the investigation without detention. As the lawyer said earlier, President Yoon Suk Yeol is using the right to refuse to make a statement and remain silent, saying that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate, so even if he is detained now, he is likely not to cooperate with the investigation after that.
In this case, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, which is investigating this part, may request an arrest warrant again. You can request a warrant again, or you can get the court's judgment again. If this happens, the investigation period will inevitably increase. There may also be problems in asking the prosecution to file a prosecution later. If it is rejected, it can be explained as a de facto crisis of existence of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit.
[Anchor]
If an arrest warrant is issued, if the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit continues to not cooperate with the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, isn't it being discussed that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will hand it over to the prosecution
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think that possibility is also high. In the end, if you don't make a statement, you can decide that there are not many parts to investigate directly from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, and if so, you can hand the case over to the prosecution faster because you think it's better to give the prosecution a little more time.
And isn't the Special Prosecutor Act currently being discussed as another variable? If the independent counsel law is passed, then if the arrest warrant is issued, there will be a part to decide on the prosecution within this 20 days, and how to coordinate this with the independent counsel can be an issue, so we need to look at this comprehensively.
[Anchor]
As it is now known, President Yoon Suk Yeol was investigated for about 10 hours when he exercised his right to refuse to make a statement in an investigation by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. It was known that they prepared a 200-page questionnaire, but all of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit could not digest it. Let's ask the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit later on what grounds they requested an arrest warrant. There's another breaking news right now. The news came from the president of Yoon Suk Yeol that the president of Yoon Suk Yeol has decided not to attend the interrogation of the suspect before his arrest.
The president said that it was unfair to request an arrest warrant from the Western District Court. What do you think of this, lawyer?
[Kim Sung-soo]
First of all, please request an arrest warrant from the Central District Court. At that time, there was a part where I said I would attend the interrogation and express my opinion directly. However, since it is a Western District Court, it has continued to claim that it has no jurisdiction over the Western District Court, so there was a story that he would not attend the interrogation for this reason, and I think he actually said the same thing.
In the end, it seems that he decided that he could not attend the interrogation because he could not recognize the jurisdiction of the Western District Court. If so, even if a warrant is issued, it can be seen as a consistent argument because it continues to deny the jurisdiction itself, and apart from how it will be judged legally, I think it is a judgment that considers how and how it can be judged on that part.
[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit couldn't digest all the questionnaires, but the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requested an arrest warrant anyway. I explained the reason earlier. Please pass it on again.
[Reporter]
That's right. I'll explain what's coming out as a breaking news for a moment. Now that the president has requested a warrant from the Western District Court, he said he would not attend the interrogation of the suspect before his arrest, but in fact, an arrest suit was held at the Central District Court. However, the Central District Court judged that it was also legal for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to request an arrest warrant from the Western District Court, not under the jurisdiction of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, where President Yoon lives.
Therefore, it can be said that the judgment was also made by the Central District Court. I think this part was rejected by the arrest suit yesterday, and this part was recognized. And President Yoon Suk Yeol did not answer the 200-page questionnaire while using the right to refuse to state, but the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit says there is no problem as previously stated. Because there are actually a lot of people involved. In addition, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who prepared emergency martial law in advance together, has been arrested and charged.
So, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit previously received a 400-page indictment of former Minister Kim, who is considered a key accomplice in the alleged rebellion, from the prosecution. And yesterday, we received a newspaper report from martial law military officials such as Park An-soo, Neo In-hyeong, Park Jong-joon, and Lee Jin-woo, and it is said to be about 1,000 pages long. So, more than 1,500 pages of prosecution investigation data alone containing statements from those involved to prove President Yoon Suk Yeol's allegations. So, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit filed an arrest warrant for the head of the rebellion and the abuse of authority. They said they are thinking that a warrant will be issued.
[Anchor]
As we just broke the news, President Yoon's supporters are protesting against the request for an arrest warrant near the Western District Court. You're looking at the front of the Seoul Western District Court a little while ago. Supporters of Yoon Suk Yeol formed a human chain to block the main gate of the Western District Court. So I'm confronting the police. Ambulances were also dispatched to the rally site, and this news came in.
The police ordered the protesters to disperse. Order dissolution in accordance with the Gypsy Act. It is known that the police broadcasted like this. Even before, the warning broadcast continued. Don't scramble and interfere with your business. Don't interfere with the work of the police. That's what I said. In fact, there was a protest at the Seoul Western District Court last night, and one in his 20s was arrested.
The protests continue to intensify now. As a result, I'm concerned that there will be people who fall or get hurt. What do you think?
[Reporter]
First of all, President Yoon Suk Yeol's supporters are moving from his Hannam-dong residence and continuously following President Yoon Suk Yeol. When you are investigated by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, you move to the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. And when President Yoon went to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi-do, he was in the detention center.
Now, they are protesting in front of the Seoul Western District Court, where the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requested an arrest warrant, and they have to pay very much attention to safety, but there is a possibility of being crushed if many people flock. So it's a very dangerous situation, but I think it would be nice to have an orderly assembly and demonstration. I think there should never be a physical conflict or bloodshed.
[Anchor]
Wasn't there also a threat to Judge So Jun-seop who rejected the arrest suit?
[Kim Sung-soo]
That's right. The investigation is underway as messages such as "I will harm you if I meet you on the way to and from work" are posted. And isn't there a part that can be seen as threatening a specific target? If that happens, I can tell you that you need to approach these areas very carefully because it can be punished for intimidation, and a fine of less than 3 years or less than 5 million won can be punished.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-kyu explained earlier, but given that the Seoul Central District Court, not the Western District Court, rejected the arrest suit, there was an interpretation that the legitimacy of the investigation into the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is over. However, President Yoon Suk Yeol said that it was unfair for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to request an arrest warrant today. Do you think this controversy will continue?
[Reporter]
That's right. First of all, the president of Yoon Suk Yeol says that he has no right to investigate rebellion at the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. That's why the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit investigated, and the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit applied for an arrest warrant and applied twice. Since an arrest warrant was requested and then issued by the Western District Court, they point out that there are problems with the investigation, warrant request, and warrant issuance.
As a result, the court's jurisdiction, the legitimacy of the emergency martial law claimed by President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the allegations that the police were illegally involved in the execution of the arrest were virtually recognized and dismissed by the Central District Court, but President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to continue to take issue with this. It may be one of the delay strategies that keep trying to drag on. Because of those parts, the president is likely to continue to take issue with these parts that are legally flawed or have any problems.
[Anchor]
Didn't President Yoon continue to take legal action as soon as the arrest warrant was issued? The Constitutional Court applied for a power dispute trial and a provisional injunction to suspend its effectiveness, and the Western District Court filed an objection, but the Western District Court dismissed it on the 5th. So far, President Yoon's position has not been accepted.
[Kim Sung-soo]
That's right. As you said, there were various procedures, but it seems that President Yoon's position has not been received yet. In the case of an objection now, there was also an institutional question of whether it was possible to appeal the warrant, so there seems to be a story that dismissing it is highly likely. However, in the case of arrest suit, it was under the system, and despite being judged by the Central District Court, it was judged that there was no reason anyway, so I think President Yoon Suk Yeol had to think a little more about this.
[Anchor]
If the warrant requested by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to the Seoul Western District Court is issued today, how likely is it that the lawyers of the President of Yoon Suk Yeol will also seek an arrest suit?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think there is a high possibility of requesting an arrest suit because I also requested an arrest suit. However, in this regard, we will have no choice but to judge the actual benefit, and as I mentioned earlier, we continue to argue that these requirements are inappropriate, right?
It can be seen that continuing to argue on this part is a part of maintaining the consistency of the argument, but maintaining this consistency is a part of maintaining the requirements for this part and the factual relationship, proof, and so on can be seen as if this part of the rebellion is not an issue in the future, so I think we have no choice but to think about the extent to which we will maintain this part.
[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Western District Court, but the president filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Central District Court. But can I also file an arrest suit with the Seoul Central District Court?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think there is a high possibility that the arresting pride will also be submitted to the Seoul Central District Court. There are areas where the regulations are not explicitly clear about the jurisdiction of this part, so there are areas where this can be done, but in the case of arrest suitability, if an arrest warrant is requested before a decision on arrest suitability is made, the case of arrest suitability will be transferred to the jurisdiction of requesting an arrest warrant. Therefore, we need to see if additional issues can arise in this area.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-kyu said earlier, and if the warrant request is rejected by the court, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will be on the verge of survival. If that happens, is there a high possibility that you will return to the prosecution right away?
[Kim Sung-soo]
First of all, we have to see if we will transfer to the prosecution or the police. As mentioned earlier, the prosecution has the right to investigate the abuse of authority, but it can be an issue again as to whether it has the right to investigate the crime of rebellion. Therefore, in the case of the police, the issue of investigation authority will not be an issue, so I think it is possible to consider transferring to the police, and in the meantime, if the special prosecutor is launched, the case may be transferred to the special prosecutor.
[Anchor]
On the other hand, Kim Sung-hoon, deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, was arrested immediately after attending this morning. What are the issues related to the charge of obstructing the execution of special public affairs applied to Deputy Director Kim?
[Reporter]
He is accused of blocking the execution of the first arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. However, there are many issues such as controversy over the use of weapons and security services. In response, Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon attended the police today and explained that he never instructed his bodyguards to use weapons. At the same time, he added that he always carries a weapon. In the meantime, he emphasized that he refused to comply with the execution of the warrant because he wanted to correct the super-legal and illegal warrants of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, which does not have the right to investigate.
At the same time, he said that he decided to attend in a situation where bloodshed was clearly visible. Kim Sung-hoon is the same. It represents the position of the president of Yoon Suk Yeol. They say it's a super-legal and illegal warrant from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. Therefore, it is a part that continues to emphasize these parts that it is illegal for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to arrest and investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol.
[Anchor]
Deputy Director Kim said, "I did my security duty in accordance with the law, but there was no presidential order." Regarding the fact that he held a birthday party for President Yoon and produced a tribute song, he said, "Doesn't a colleague do that even if it's his birthday?" How did you hear this part?
[Kim Sung-soo]
The scope of today's investigation will be obstruction of the execution of existing special officials or abuse of authority, and if a public official abused his/her authority to do such work to a person who has no obligation to do so, I think he/she will review that part because it could be a separate case.
However, isn't Kim Sung-hoon now claiming that the work he did was rather legal and that the work of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit itself was illegal? And if that part is right, he denies his charges in the end because the obstruction of the execution of special public affairs or abuse of authority, which is currently being charged, will not be established. And what could be the issue is that President Yoon Suk Yeol didn't order this part, if the obstruction of justice is right, is the scope of the punishment of the extent to which it can be punished, depending on whose direction it was.
So if President Yoon Suk Yeol didn't order this part, I think he said these things first because he's not the subject of the allegations.
[Anchor]
The police are securing recruits one by one for the hardline command of the security agency, and they asked Lee Kwang-woo, the head of the security headquarters, to attend on the 18th. If Lee Kwang-woo is present, will he be arrested like Deputy Chief Kim today?
[Reporter]
It's highly likely. Because I told Lee Kwang-woo to attend by tomorrow morning. But if it doesn't come out tomorrow, you can apply for an arrest warrant again. But it looks like it will come out tomorrow. Because at the time of the first arrest warrant execution on the 15th, he first arrested the command of the security service, and then tried to execute an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol. But the president made a request. Please do this part later. He said he would go out with his lawyers later, so please let him be investigated then. He said he would attend, so I think he will attend tomorrow.
However, now that he has refused to comply with the police's summons three times, he is likely to be arrested like Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon. And the police also notified the second summons of Kim Shin, the head of the family department of the Security Service, for obstructing the execution of the first arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. I asked Manager Kim to come out for an investigation at 10 a.m. on the 20th. Manager Kim is in charge of protecting First Lady Kim Gun-hee.
[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has requested an arrest warrant for the incumbent president for the first time in the constitutional history, and the request for an arrest warrant is about 150 pages long. How much is this?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think it's really a lot. It can be said that there are so many because the court has to look at all the records. In particular, the fact that so many documents have been submitted on this part means that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is making efforts to issue it, and President Yoon Suk Yeol may have to refute 150 pages in order to refute this part, so I think a lot of preparation is needed.
[Anchor]
Let's stop here today. It was Baek Jong-gyu, a reporter from the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Kim Sung-soo, a lawyer. Thank you.
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[Anchor]
Let's take a look at it with Baek Jong-kyu, a reporter from the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Kim Sung-soo, a lawyer. Welcome. For the first time in constitutional history, an arrest warrant has been requested for a sitting president. As expected, I requested a warrant from the Western District Court. How did you like it?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I was expecting that the possibility of the Western District Court would be higher. First of all, it can be said that an arrest warrant was requested due to an arrest warrant, but the arrest warrant itself was issued by the Western District Court, right? As a result, I think it was possible to predict that there would be a request for an arrest warrant in the Western District Court. However, there was a claim that there was no jurisdiction in this regard, so there was a question of whether it could be requested to the Central District Court, but as I said, I think it was the Western District Court through the arrest warrant court issued because it was based on an arrest warrant.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-kyu, what did the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit reveal after requesting an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol?
[Reporter]
That's right. First of all, he said that the warrant request reception time is around 5:40 p.m. The charges are a rebellion leader, abuse of authority. Basically, the arrest warrant now considers the seriousness of the crime and the risk of recidivism, but the bill is said to amount to about 150 pages. In particular, the bill was very helpful in this warrant because the National Assembly actively shared the data. The prosecution also provided a key suspect interrogation report, which was comprehensively reflected in the warrant.
In addition, about six to seven prosecutors, including the chief prosecutor, said they would attend the substantive examination. And the screening schedule is to be decided by the court, so this is something to be seen. He also said, "Is there anything added to the arrest warrant differently from the arrest warrant for abuse of authority?" and said, "The arrest warrant only lists the representative crimes, and it is not important whether it is added or not." First of all, the president is refusing to investigate the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. However, I also said that there is no obstacle to the preparation of the warrant for this part.
As you said earlier, we also talked about the reason for the Western District Court's claim. Based on Article 31 of the Corruption Investigations Unit Act, an arrest warrant was requested from the court that usually obtained an arrest warrant. In the existing Western District Court or Central District Court, the jurisdiction court issue was resolved to some extent in the dismissal of the suitability trial, and the judgment was also reflected. And when I asked what the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit would do in the future, it has been investigating according to laws and principles and will continue to try to follow laws and procedures. I made a request for a warrant and explained that I would wait for it to be issued.
[Anchor]
As the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requests an arrest warrant today, it is expected to be concluded within the weekend after the warrant review is held tomorrow.
[Kim Sung-soo]
That's right. If you look at Article 201-1 of the Criminal Procedure Act, isn't it a suspect who has an arrest warrant issued when an arrest warrant is requested? In that case, unless there are special circumstances, the interrogation is supposed to be conducted the day after the warrant is requested. Therefore, it is expected that the newspaper date will be held tomorrow, but if it is in the morning or afternoon when the newspaper date is opened, it is still difficult to estimate when the conclusion will be made.
[Anchor]
How long will it take to conduct a substantive review?
[Kim Sung-soo]
This can be an issue of how much you argue about the facts of the case. Once you explain the procedure, you will be notified of the right to refuse to make a statement. There is a part where you say that you can refuse to make a statement to the suspect and that if you talk about this part, the disadvantage can work against you, and you do a recognized newspaper. It goes through a process to check if it's the right person.
In addition, the crime stated in the warrant request and the reason for arrest will be notified. Isn't there a crime that the prosecution and the prosecutor of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit claim? So if you announce that there is this part and this reason for arrest, the judge will interrogate the suspect after this. Does the suspect have this or not? You ask these things, and then if there is another third party, the judge will interrogate the third party, and the prosecutor and the attorney will make their respective opinions.
In the opinion statement section, if you argue sharply about facts and concerns about escape, it can take a long time, so what happens is the most important part. After that, you will go through this process of making the suspect's opinion statement. If President Yoon Suk Yeol, the person concerned, does not attend tomorrow, newspapers and opinion statements about the suspect may be omitted, so this could be a variable.
[Anchor]
Earlier, the president said the president would attend the hearing on the warrant. I was in this position. What do you think?
[Reporter]
I had a clue about that. If you file a pre-arrest warrant with the Central District Court prior to your previous arrest, you will then actively express your opinion. Actually, the premise is a little different now, so I think that's a little different. So far, Seok Dong-hyun, a lawyer for President Yoon Suk Yeol, has met with President Yoon Suk Yeol at the Seoul Detention Center, where he was detained today, and he said he would decide whether to attend the warrant review after seeing whether to request a warrant. But there are two possibilities right now. Being present and not being present. He said that he would not recognize the investigative power of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit if he did not attend.
And I said that the warrant issued by the Western District Court was unconstitutional and illegal, so I won't just appear as if I didn't cooperate with the investigation. I can reveal it like this. The other thing is that you're going to attend. Since they have the right to defend themselves, in fact, arrest and arrest are so different in weight that if they say they can actively express their opinions to guarantee their right to defend themselves, they will be present.
[Anchor]
Yoon's defense attorney said he would go to the warrant review and explain the unfair aspect of the alleged rebellion, but whether the president, who is the party to the arrest, will attend or not. Will the screening be affected accordingly?
[Kim Sung-soo]
The presence of the president may eventually have an important relationship with the exercise of the suspect's right to defend himself. Therefore, having a newspaper or such a procedure itself can be seen as a procedure that allows the suspect to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant after exercising his right to defend himself. Therefore, if you do not attend, it is a part to consider how the court will accept this.
However, even if he does not attend, the part stated verbally by the attorney or submitted in writing should be premised when the standard of arrest eventually becomes a considerable doubt that he has committed a crime. And now, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit claims that there is a considerable part to doubt about the two charges of abuse of authority or civil war, so how will the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit argue that there is one and the defense counsel will argue that there is none?
Therefore, even if the party is not present, if there is something that the court can persuade, it can be an important part of issuing a warrant, so we have to see what this will be like, but as I said, it is uncertain how the court will accept the party's absence, so we have no choice but to consider this.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-gyu, didn't the president travel in a security car when he was moving from his residence to the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit or from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to the Seoul Detention Center? If I were to attend the warrant review, how would I move?
[Reporter]
When I executed the arrest warrant, I actually had to travel in a vehicle from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, but I actually traveled in a security vehicle at the request of the security service. However, if you have to go to the court from the Seoul Detention Center, you have to take a convoy from the Ministry of Justice. Only prison guards and the president of Yoon Suk Yeol will be in the convoy without any other inmates. Since the security service staff cannot get in the convoy together, security is expected to be secured in the form of a security vehicle catching up around the convoy.
It is about 23km from the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do to the Western District Court in Gongdeok-dong, Seoul. The convoy will move along the usual route. After receiving the suspect's interrogation before arrest in the court, he/she moves back to the detention center in a convoy. However, this premise is that President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the warrant review.
[Anchor]
Seok Dong-hyun, a lawyer for President Yoon Suk Yeol, said he would do his best to prepare for an arrest warrant, but what is the most controversial part when he attends the warrant review?
[Kim Sung-soo]
Eventually, Article 70 of the Criminal Procedure Act becomes an issue. This is the most important part where Article 70 specifies the reasons for the arrest and there is considerable reason to suspect that the accused committed the crime mentioned earlier. And next, there are two requirements: the fear of destroying evidence or the fear of escaping. Therefore, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will try to prove as much as possible through statements from related suspects that there is considerable reason to suspect that the accused has committed a crime.
And there are also related rules in the case of evidence destruction or flight concerns. According to the related rules, in the case of fear of escape, the circumstances of the crime, whether or not to turn himself in, the personal circumstances of the suspect, whether or not he can easily give up his job, and in the case of fear of destroying evidence, whether there is evidence that is subject to destruction, whether the evidence has a decisive effect on the destruction of evidence, and how the suspect's situation can influence the destruction of evidence physically and socially.
Therefore, since these parts are related to each rule, there is a concern of destroying evidence or fleeing, and the suspect will answer that there is no such part. That's why that can be the biggest issue. In this regard, from the court's point of view, the issue will be whether the reason for Article 70 can be established, so we will have to wait and see.
[Anchor]
As a lawyer, what do you think is the possibility of issuing an arrest warrant?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think it's really hard to predict this part. It seems that the issue will be to what extent considerable reasons to suspect that they have committed a crime are explained, but aren't there many suspects who are arrested by suspects in related cases? So there's a lot of evidence that comes out of that fact, and when you submit it to the court, the issue can be whether this can be seen as a vindication of President Yoon Suk Yeol's actions.
And there must be some clarification on this part of the fear of escape and the destruction of evidence, but wasn't there a lot of disputes in the execution process of the arrest warrant right now? This can be seen as a fear of escape. Therefore, it is difficult to predict how the court judges this and concerns about the destruction of evidence because it maintains the current position of the incumbent president anyway, so it will be difficult to predict in the current state because it will judge whether it is a position that can attempt to destroy evidence socially.
[Anchor]
Is the failure to comply with the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit yesterday and again today one of the factors that increase the possibility of issuing a warrant?
[Kim Sung-soo]
If you actively respond to the investigation and the investigation statement is reliable, there is a possibility that you will judge that there is no fear of destroying evidence, and without that part, it can be a fact that can be judged to be more likely to destroy evidence or flee, so I think the court will also comprehensively review that part.
[Anchor]
News has come out that the president of Yoon Suk Yeol has responded. Through the lawyers, President Yoon himself announced his position in a letter. It's a letter written by the
detention center.
It's a little uncomfortable, but I'm doing well in the detention center. There is a content that we thank the people for their passionate patriotism.
From the president's inauguration speech to the March 1 Independence Day anniversary speech to the public, I am looking back on the state of affairs that have been passed while re-reading the words I have said to the people. I heard that many people are coming out to the cold streets and joining forces for the country, so thank you. This is what it's about.
To summarize again, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Western District Court for the first time in its constitutional history. About 30 minutes later, President Yoon Suk Yeol announced his position through his lawyers at the Seoul Detention Center. It's a little uncomfortable, but I'm doing well. The letter briefly contains a message thanking the hot people for their patriotism.
Earlier, when the lawyers had an interview, they said they were doing well, but you wrote a handwritten letter yourself again.
[Reporter]
If you look at the contents, it means that he is doing well at the detention center. And I also said I was looking back on the last presidential term. One thing that is noteworthy here is that many people are coming out to the cold streets and joining forces for the country. I think this is the part to pay attention to. Because in fact, both pro-impeachment and anti-impeachment rallies are being held. By the way, the fact that you are gathering your strength for the country can be seen as a de facto message to the supporters. I think there is such a purpose or intention to gather supporters in this way, saying, "Please be well with your supporters and give them a little strength."
[Anchor]
Even so, as the news of the request for an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol spread a little while ago, there was news that supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol near the Seoul Western District Court protested. Is there anything else that came in?
[Reporter]
First of all, the contents from the site have not been confirmed yet. Naturally, there are evaluations that there is a high possibility that a warrant will be requested and a warrant will be issued. In fact, if a warrant is issued, it will have to continue to be investigated and investigated in custody. So, of course, the supporters have no choice but to raise their voices toward the court if the warrant is issued to the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit.
[Anchor]
In our breaking news, protesters are now scrambling to form a scrum and confronting the police around the Western District Court. So the police started warning the protesters. I heard that they are doing a warning broadcast like this, don't interfere with business, but in this case, what charges can the protesters be punished for?
[Kim Sung-soo]
If this behavior of protesters interferes with the execution of public affairs, and if it can be recognized as assault or intimidation, there is room for obstruction of public affairs or obstruction of special public affairs. In addition, the current assembly and demonstration should be legally held based on the Assembly Act, and if there is a violation of that, you can order dissolution, and if you do not comply with it, there are criminal penalties. Therefore, even that part can be a legal issue.
[Anchor]
I also delivered a message from President Yoon Suk Yeol, but he has been staying in the Seoul Detention Center ever since he was investigated by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit on the day of his arrest. Reporter Baek Jong-gyu, are you living the same as the general audience?
[Reporter]
I don't think it's exactly the same. First of all, there are two suspect waiting rooms in the Seoul Detention Center. After President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested, he was investigated by the Airborne Service on the first day. I'm staying alone in the waiting room for a suspect. There are one-room TVs and bedding, and CCTV footage is taken 24 hours a day in the waiting room.
In fact, the Seoul Detention Center has made a policy. The presidential bodyguards are waiting at the office building because they have made this policy not to come inside the detention center. The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requested an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. If a warrant is issued after a court review, President Yoon Suk Yeol will have to move to the detention center in Seoul Detention Center, not to the waiting room for the suspect.
[Anchor]
What changes when you move to Suyeong-dong?
[Reporter]
If you move to Suyeong-dong, it is expected that you will assign it to a room where you live alone and accommodate it separately from other inmates. However, there have been no cases in which an incumbent president has been detained in a detention center. Therefore, it is impossible to estimate the level of courtesy of security and security, so the detention center and the Presidential Security Service are discussing this. In correctional facilities such as detention centers and prisons, the use of solitary rooms is common, but inmates who are deemed inappropriate to share a room with other inmates may use solitary rooms at the discretion of correctional authorities.
Therefore, President Yoon Suk Yeol is still subject to security and security as an incumbent president because he is expected to use solitary confinement. Therefore, we will assign solitary confinement to former Presidents Park Geun Hye and Lee Myung Bak, who were previously housed in correctional facilities. These are the prospects.
[Anchor]
If an arrest warrant is issued by the court, wouldn't an arrest investigation take place for up to 20 days? However, since the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the authority to prosecute the president, it should be investigated separately with the prosecution, what do you expect?
[Kim Sung-soo]
As you said, it is a maximum of 20 days and in principle 10 days. And it's been about three days now. Therefore, it can be seen that there is a period of about 6 to 7 days, and then it can be extended for about 10 days. It is said that it is a maximum of 20 days because it can be extended only once, and the current story is that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit and the prosecution said they would set aside 10 or 10 days for this part. If that happens, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will have time to investigate the rest of the data except for the suspect's interrogation, and I think I will tell the prosecution that we investigated this part by handing over the data I investigated to the prosecution.
Then the prosecution will judge this part again. So, it will go through the process of judging whether there are any missing parts once again, writing an indictment accordingly, and filing a prosecution accordingly, so I can tell you that once a warrant is issued, 20 days is very short. Since the prosecution is filed immediately after that, it can proceed very quickly until the trial.
[Anchor]
After the arrest suit was dismissed now, Yoon Gap-geun, a lawyer for the president, expressed his position that he would not respond to the investigation by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit in the future. Even if an arrest warrant is issued, do you think you will not cooperate with the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think it will be the same as before. Since the president of Yoon Suk Yeol's continued claim that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has no investigative power, he will not be investigated by an investigative agency without investigative power. And if the case is transferred to the prosecution, the issue can be whether the prosecution can be considered to have the right to investigate, but the part that claims that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate the abuse of authority, but the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate the abuse of authority and related crimes.
However, the structure of this part is the same for the prosecution. In the case of the prosecution, abuse of authority on corruption crimes is within the scope of direct investigation, and rebellion can be investigated only by related crimes.
Therefore, if it is the same logic, some may say that the prosecution has no right to investigate, so I think President Yoon Suk Yeol has no choice but to think about this. In addition, while the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has refused to make a statement, there are many parts that have to be considered by the prosecution, so I think they will think a lot about whether to make a statement.
[Anchor]
If you continue to refuse to comply with the investigation, what do you see as the possibility of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit being forced into custody? I didn't force an arrest warrant because there was no clear regulation at the time of the arrest warrant, but if an arrest warrant is issued, wouldn't it be another story?
[Kim Sung-soo]
In the case of arrest warrants, there are cases where they were forcibly arrested and carried out. However, in the end, even if you do a forced recruitment or an investigation into an actual detention center, if you don't make a statement in the end, there is no benefit, so I think the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has no choice but to think about whether to proceed with this procedure. When a suspect's interrogation report is written, the contents written here are the same as what I said, and there is a part where you seal it to this effect, but I think the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will also consider this because it can be a little burdensome to do such a compulsory act to receive a record without stamping it.
[Anchor]
How do you think the investigation will proceed in the future if the warrant is rejected by the court?
[Reporter]
If President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest warrant is not issued and rejected, he will be released immediately. The investigation without detention will begin. President Yoon Suk Yeol will move to his official residence in Hannam-dong and return home. At the same time, the investigation will be continued by summoning the investigation without detention. As the lawyer said earlier, President Yoon Suk Yeol is using the right to refuse to make a statement and remain silent, saying that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit does not have the right to investigate, so even if he is detained now, he is likely not to cooperate with the investigation after that.
In this case, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, which is investigating this part, may request an arrest warrant again. You can request a warrant again, or you can get the court's judgment again. If this happens, the investigation period will inevitably increase. There may also be problems in asking the prosecution to file a prosecution later. If it is rejected, it can be explained as a de facto crisis of existence of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit.
[Anchor]
If an arrest warrant is issued, if the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit continues to not cooperate with the investigation of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, isn't it being discussed that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will hand it over to the prosecution
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think that possibility is also high. In the end, if you don't make a statement, you can decide that there are not many parts to investigate directly from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, and if so, you can hand the case over to the prosecution faster because you think it's better to give the prosecution a little more time.
And isn't the Special Prosecutor Act currently being discussed as another variable? If the independent counsel law is passed, then if the arrest warrant is issued, there will be a part to decide on the prosecution within this 20 days, and how to coordinate this with the independent counsel can be an issue, so we need to look at this comprehensively.
[Anchor]
As it is now known, President Yoon Suk Yeol was investigated for about 10 hours when he exercised his right to refuse to make a statement in an investigation by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. It was known that they prepared a 200-page questionnaire, but all of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit could not digest it. Let's ask the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit later on what grounds they requested an arrest warrant. There's another breaking news right now. The news came from the president of Yoon Suk Yeol that the president of Yoon Suk Yeol has decided not to attend the interrogation of the suspect before his arrest.
The president said that it was unfair to request an arrest warrant from the Western District Court. What do you think of this, lawyer?
[Kim Sung-soo]
First of all, please request an arrest warrant from the Central District Court. At that time, there was a part where I said I would attend the interrogation and express my opinion directly. However, since it is a Western District Court, it has continued to claim that it has no jurisdiction over the Western District Court, so there was a story that he would not attend the interrogation for this reason, and I think he actually said the same thing.
In the end, it seems that he decided that he could not attend the interrogation because he could not recognize the jurisdiction of the Western District Court. If so, even if a warrant is issued, it can be seen as a consistent argument because it continues to deny the jurisdiction itself, and apart from how it will be judged legally, I think it is a judgment that considers how and how it can be judged on that part.
[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit couldn't digest all the questionnaires, but the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requested an arrest warrant anyway. I explained the reason earlier. Please pass it on again.
[Reporter]
That's right. I'll explain what's coming out as a breaking news for a moment. Now that the president has requested a warrant from the Western District Court, he said he would not attend the interrogation of the suspect before his arrest, but in fact, an arrest suit was held at the Central District Court. However, the Central District Court judged that it was also legal for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to request an arrest warrant from the Western District Court, not under the jurisdiction of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, where President Yoon lives.
Therefore, it can be said that the judgment was also made by the Central District Court. I think this part was rejected by the arrest suit yesterday, and this part was recognized. And President Yoon Suk Yeol did not answer the 200-page questionnaire while using the right to refuse to state, but the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit says there is no problem as previously stated. Because there are actually a lot of people involved. In addition, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who prepared emergency martial law in advance together, has been arrested and charged.
So, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit previously received a 400-page indictment of former Minister Kim, who is considered a key accomplice in the alleged rebellion, from the prosecution. And yesterday, we received a newspaper report from martial law military officials such as Park An-soo, Neo In-hyeong, Park Jong-joon, and Lee Jin-woo, and it is said to be about 1,000 pages long. So, more than 1,500 pages of prosecution investigation data alone containing statements from those involved to prove President Yoon Suk Yeol's allegations. So, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit filed an arrest warrant for the head of the rebellion and the abuse of authority. They said they are thinking that a warrant will be issued.
[Anchor]
As we just broke the news, President Yoon's supporters are protesting against the request for an arrest warrant near the Western District Court. You're looking at the front of the Seoul Western District Court a little while ago. Supporters of Yoon Suk Yeol formed a human chain to block the main gate of the Western District Court. So I'm confronting the police. Ambulances were also dispatched to the rally site, and this news came in.
The police ordered the protesters to disperse. Order dissolution in accordance with the Gypsy Act. It is known that the police broadcasted like this. Even before, the warning broadcast continued. Don't scramble and interfere with your business. Don't interfere with the work of the police. That's what I said. In fact, there was a protest at the Seoul Western District Court last night, and one in his 20s was arrested.
The protests continue to intensify now. As a result, I'm concerned that there will be people who fall or get hurt. What do you think?
[Reporter]
First of all, President Yoon Suk Yeol's supporters are moving from his Hannam-dong residence and continuously following President Yoon Suk Yeol. When you are investigated by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, you move to the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. And when President Yoon went to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi-do, he was in the detention center.
Now, they are protesting in front of the Seoul Western District Court, where the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit requested an arrest warrant, and they have to pay very much attention to safety, but there is a possibility of being crushed if many people flock. So it's a very dangerous situation, but I think it would be nice to have an orderly assembly and demonstration. I think there should never be a physical conflict or bloodshed.
[Anchor]
Wasn't there also a threat to Judge So Jun-seop who rejected the arrest suit?
[Kim Sung-soo]
That's right. The investigation is underway as messages such as "I will harm you if I meet you on the way to and from work" are posted. And isn't there a part that can be seen as threatening a specific target? If that happens, I can tell you that you need to approach these areas very carefully because it can be punished for intimidation, and a fine of less than 3 years or less than 5 million won can be punished.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-kyu explained earlier, but given that the Seoul Central District Court, not the Western District Court, rejected the arrest suit, there was an interpretation that the legitimacy of the investigation into the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is over. However, President Yoon Suk Yeol said that it was unfair for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to request an arrest warrant today. Do you think this controversy will continue?
[Reporter]
That's right. First of all, the president of Yoon Suk Yeol says that he has no right to investigate rebellion at the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. That's why the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit investigated, and the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit applied for an arrest warrant and applied twice. Since an arrest warrant was requested and then issued by the Western District Court, they point out that there are problems with the investigation, warrant request, and warrant issuance.
As a result, the court's jurisdiction, the legitimacy of the emergency martial law claimed by President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the allegations that the police were illegally involved in the execution of the arrest were virtually recognized and dismissed by the Central District Court, but President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to continue to take issue with this. It may be one of the delay strategies that keep trying to drag on. Because of those parts, the president is likely to continue to take issue with these parts that are legally flawed or have any problems.
[Anchor]
Didn't President Yoon continue to take legal action as soon as the arrest warrant was issued? The Constitutional Court applied for a power dispute trial and a provisional injunction to suspend its effectiveness, and the Western District Court filed an objection, but the Western District Court dismissed it on the 5th. So far, President Yoon's position has not been accepted.
[Kim Sung-soo]
That's right. As you said, there were various procedures, but it seems that President Yoon's position has not been received yet. In the case of an objection now, there was also an institutional question of whether it was possible to appeal the warrant, so there seems to be a story that dismissing it is highly likely. However, in the case of arrest suit, it was under the system, and despite being judged by the Central District Court, it was judged that there was no reason anyway, so I think President Yoon Suk Yeol had to think a little more about this.
[Anchor]
If the warrant requested by the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to the Seoul Western District Court is issued today, how likely is it that the lawyers of the President of Yoon Suk Yeol will also seek an arrest suit?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think there is a high possibility of requesting an arrest suit because I also requested an arrest suit. However, in this regard, we will have no choice but to judge the actual benefit, and as I mentioned earlier, we continue to argue that these requirements are inappropriate, right?
It can be seen that continuing to argue on this part is a part of maintaining the consistency of the argument, but maintaining this consistency is a part of maintaining the requirements for this part and the factual relationship, proof, and so on can be seen as if this part of the rebellion is not an issue in the future, so I think we have no choice but to think about the extent to which we will maintain this part.
[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Western District Court, but the president filed an arrest warrant with the Seoul Central District Court. But can I also file an arrest suit with the Seoul Central District Court?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think there is a high possibility that the arresting pride will also be submitted to the Seoul Central District Court. There are areas where the regulations are not explicitly clear about the jurisdiction of this part, so there are areas where this can be done, but in the case of arrest suitability, if an arrest warrant is requested before a decision on arrest suitability is made, the case of arrest suitability will be transferred to the jurisdiction of requesting an arrest warrant. Therefore, we need to see if additional issues can arise in this area.
[Anchor]
Reporter Baek Jong-kyu said earlier, and if the warrant request is rejected by the court, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit will be on the verge of survival. If that happens, is there a high possibility that you will return to the prosecution right away?
[Kim Sung-soo]
First of all, we have to see if we will transfer to the prosecution or the police. As mentioned earlier, the prosecution has the right to investigate the abuse of authority, but it can be an issue again as to whether it has the right to investigate the crime of rebellion. Therefore, in the case of the police, the issue of investigation authority will not be an issue, so I think it is possible to consider transferring to the police, and in the meantime, if the special prosecutor is launched, the case may be transferred to the special prosecutor.
[Anchor]
On the other hand, Kim Sung-hoon, deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, was arrested immediately after attending this morning. What are the issues related to the charge of obstructing the execution of special public affairs applied to Deputy Director Kim?
[Reporter]
He is accused of blocking the execution of the first arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. However, there are many issues such as controversy over the use of weapons and security services. In response, Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon attended the police today and explained that he never instructed his bodyguards to use weapons. At the same time, he added that he always carries a weapon. In the meantime, he emphasized that he refused to comply with the execution of the warrant because he wanted to correct the super-legal and illegal warrants of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, which does not have the right to investigate.
At the same time, he said that he decided to attend in a situation where bloodshed was clearly visible. Kim Sung-hoon is the same. It represents the position of the president of Yoon Suk Yeol. They say it's a super-legal and illegal warrant from the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. Therefore, it is a part that continues to emphasize these parts that it is illegal for the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit to arrest and investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol.
[Anchor]
Deputy Director Kim said, "I did my security duty in accordance with the law, but there was no presidential order." Regarding the fact that he held a birthday party for President Yoon and produced a tribute song, he said, "Doesn't a colleague do that even if it's his birthday?" How did you hear this part?
[Kim Sung-soo]
The scope of today's investigation will be obstruction of the execution of existing special officials or abuse of authority, and if a public official abused his/her authority to do such work to a person who has no obligation to do so, I think he/she will review that part because it could be a separate case.
However, isn't Kim Sung-hoon now claiming that the work he did was rather legal and that the work of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit itself was illegal? And if that part is right, he denies his charges in the end because the obstruction of the execution of special public affairs or abuse of authority, which is currently being charged, will not be established. And what could be the issue is that President Yoon Suk Yeol didn't order this part, if the obstruction of justice is right, is the scope of the punishment of the extent to which it can be punished, depending on whose direction it was.
So if President Yoon Suk Yeol didn't order this part, I think he said these things first because he's not the subject of the allegations.
[Anchor]
The police are securing recruits one by one for the hardline command of the security agency, and they asked Lee Kwang-woo, the head of the security headquarters, to attend on the 18th. If Lee Kwang-woo is present, will he be arrested like Deputy Chief Kim today?
[Reporter]
It's highly likely. Because I told Lee Kwang-woo to attend by tomorrow morning. But if it doesn't come out tomorrow, you can apply for an arrest warrant again. But it looks like it will come out tomorrow. Because at the time of the first arrest warrant execution on the 15th, he first arrested the command of the security service, and then tried to execute an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol. But the president made a request. Please do this part later. He said he would go out with his lawyers later, so please let him be investigated then. He said he would attend, so I think he will attend tomorrow.
However, now that he has refused to comply with the police's summons three times, he is likely to be arrested like Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon. And the police also notified the second summons of Kim Shin, the head of the family department of the Security Service, for obstructing the execution of the first arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol. I asked Manager Kim to come out for an investigation at 10 a.m. on the 20th. Manager Kim is in charge of protecting First Lady Kim Gun-hee.
[Anchor]
The Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit has requested an arrest warrant for the incumbent president for the first time in the constitutional history, and the request for an arrest warrant is about 150 pages long. How much is this?
[Kim Sung-soo]
I think it's really a lot. It can be said that there are so many because the court has to look at all the records. In particular, the fact that so many documents have been submitted on this part means that the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit is making efforts to issue it, and President Yoon Suk Yeol may have to refute 150 pages in order to refute this part, so I think a lot of preparation is needed.
[Anchor]
Let's stop here today. It was Baek Jong-gyu, a reporter from the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Kim Sung-soo, a lawyer. Thank you.
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