CIO chief apologizes for failed attempt to arrest Yoon

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CIO chief apologizes for failed attempt to arrest Yoon

Published: 07 Jan. 2025, 18:16 Updated: 07 Jan. 2025, 19:24

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Oh Dong-woon, chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) attends a meeting of the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee at the parliament complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Jan. 7. [YONHAP]

The chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Tuesday apologized for the agency’s failed attempt to execute a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol last week and vowed to "thoroughly prepare" for a second attempt.

CIO chief Oh Dong-woon’s apology came as he appeared for a questioning session at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting, held at the parliament in Yeouido, western Seoul.

Oh vowed that the joint investigative headquarters — comprised of the CIO, the police and the Defense Ministry — would “exert every effort” in the second attempt to execute the warrant and "accomplish its goal."

The first arrest warrant against Yoon, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, expired on Monday.

“As the CIO chief, I feel heartbroken and deeply sorry to the public for failing to execute an arrest warrant that was justly issued by the judiciary, thereby damaging the rule of law,” Oh said.

Liberal Democratic Party Rep. Jung Chung-rae, chair of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, criticized the CIO, saying it should have attempted to execute the warrant after “thorough preparation and plan.” Oh responded by saying his agency had "done its best" within the framework of the joint investigative headquarters.

“However, there were many incidents that we did not anticipate and eventually failed,” Oh said.

In their first attempt to execute the arrest warrant on Friday, investigators from the CIO and police were stopped around 200 meters (656 feet) from the residence by a scrum of 200 officials from the Presidential Security Service (PSS) and the military.

The police’s National Office of Investigation (NOI) dispatched 120 investigators, supported by 2,700 officers from the Police Mobile Unit for safety reasons. Out of 150 CIO and police investigators, only three managed to approach the residence and meet Yoon’s attorneys.

Wire fences are installed on a path near the presidential residence in central Seoul on Jan. 7. [KIM JONG-HO]

After a standoff of around five and half hours, the CIO and the police halted the execution of the arrest warrant due to “concerns over the safety of personnel dispatched to the site.”

As the court approved another arrest warrant to detain Yoon on Tuesday, police are reviewing the deployment of special forces in their second attempt to arrest the impeached president amid tightened security measures around the presidential residence in central Seoul.

Security at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, has been reinforced following the failed attempt by the CIO and police to detain Yoon last Friday.

During the first attempt, a bus was stationed behind the residence’s entrance.

On Tuesday morning, however, a bus was positioned in front of the metal gate, and two additional buses behind it.

On Monday, which marked the final day of validity for Yoon’s arrest warrant, up to five buses were closely parked near the residence’s gate.

Concertina wire fences were also installed on a mountain path used by the CIO and police to bypass blocking personnel.

Officials from the Presidential Security Service gather near the entrance of the presidential residence in central Seoul, surround by buses, on Jan. 7. [KIM JONG-HO]

The police and the CIO had initially considered deploying special forces during the first attempt but ultimately decided against it. CIO deputy director Lee Jae-seung said during a press briefing on Monday that the agency had “not expected such strong resistance” from the PSS and military personnel, assuming instead that they would “cooperate.”

Increased personnel, possibly along with special forces, are anticipated to be dispatched by the police for a second warrant execution.

During a press briefing on Monday, a police officer said “necessary manpower” was deployed during the first attempt and noted it was “not the dispatch of the maximum number of personnel.”

Presidential Security Service chief Park Chong-jun delivers a public address in a video released to the press on Jan. 5. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

On Tuesday, the police summoned PSS chief Park Chong-jun for the third time after he refused to attend the previous two summonses.

In a notice to the press, police said that they sent another official request for Park to appear by 10 a.m. on Friday.

Park earlier on Tuesday declined to attend the second summons, citing the absence of legal representation.

If he fails to comply with the third summons, forced investigations, including a request for an arrest warrant, may take place.

“The PSS has obstructed searches of the presidential residence twice and appears to have premeditated plans to block the arrest warrant’s execution,” a police official told the JoongAng Ilbo, the Korea JoongAng Daily’s affiliate, on condition of anonymity.

“Given the PSS’s clear intent to stall for time and defy judicial procedures, stronger measures are necessary.”

Park has been booked by police for obstructing special official duties during the CIO's warrant execution attempt. He faces additional charges of insurrection following a complaint from a civic group.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, LEE CHAN-KYU [[email protected]]