Police mull detention warrants for senior presidential security officials for blocking Yoon's arrest
Published: 09 Mar. 2025, 18:44
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- LEE SOO-JUNG
- [email protected]
![President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to supporters rallying in front of the Seoul Detention Center in Gyeonggi on March 8. Kim Sung-hoon, deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, is seen next to Yoon. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/09/c6830672-e95d-48e2-b8d9-3d64a8b47dfe.jpg)
President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to supporters rallying in front of the Seoul Detention Center in Gyeonggi on March 8. Kim Sung-hoon, deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, is seen next to Yoon. [YONHAP]
The NOI under the National Police Agency is poised to detain Kim Sung-hoon, deputy chief of the PSS, and Lee Kwang-woo, head of the service's bodyguard division.
The police appear empowered with the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office’s warrant review committee concluding Thursday that police “should seek arrest warrants against Kim and Lee.” Six of the committee's nine members endorsed detaining the two, while three objected.
Police suspect that Kim and Lee followed orders from Yoon to block the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)'s attempt to arrest him and to delete servers used for the secure phones used by PSS senior officials.
During the review session, NOI officials reportedly said that Kim had told his colleague that Yoon "ordered” the erasing of server records for secure phones. Police believe the servers are key evidence related to Yoon’s imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.
They reportedly stressed that detaining the officials was “necessary to figure out who masterminded” the attempts to destroy and tamper with evidence.
Although the committee’s opinion is nonbinding, it seemingly signals an opportunity for the police to investigate people who allegedly took part in Yoon's imposition of martial law and obstructed the execution of the arrest warrant against the president.
![Lee Kwang-woo, chief of the bodyguard division at the Presidential Security Service, attends a police questioning session at the headquarters of the National Office of Investigation in western Seoul on Jan. 24. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/09/618587e6-bdff-4ee0-887b-2a7a0b1dc659.jpg)
Lee Kwang-woo, chief of the bodyguard division at the Presidential Security Service, attends a police questioning session at the headquarters of the National Office of Investigation in western Seoul on Jan. 24. [NEWS1]
Although Kim was initially arrested in mid-January, the court ordered his release two days later and turned down a detention warrant request from the police.
On Saturday, Kim was spotted escorting Yoon throughout his voyage from the Seoul Detention Center in Gyeonggi to his residence in central Seoul. He also shadowed Yoon when the president bowed to the public.
Yoon’s presidential privilege to receive around-the-clock security services is expected to hinder police attempts to take PSS officials into custody.
The JoongAng Ilbo reported that Kim and Lee might argue for an investigation without detention while citing the presidential security service for the incumbent president.
Despite the potential ramifications of Yoon’s release, police said the president's return would not undermine their investigation into senior PSS officials.
The NOI is expected to decide when to apply for the arrest warrant against Kim and Lee during an internal meeting on Monday.
Some police say a police investigation could develop after the Constitutional Court rules on the validity of Yoon’s impeachment by the parliament, with a decision expected later this week.
BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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