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Yoon receives 'last summons' date after skipping questioning in martial law case

Published: 01 Jul. 2025, 10:11 Updated: 01 Jul. 2025, 13:37

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends the eighth trial on insurrection charges at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, western Seoul, on June 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has been summoned for questioning on Saturday at 9 a.m. by the special counsel team investigating his Dec. 3, 2024, imposition of martial law, after he failed to appear initially on Tuesday morning.

The team, led by Cho Eun-suk, warned that it would be the "last summons," signaling that it may seek a detention warrant if Yoon fails to comply again.

Yoon's failure to appear for questioning on Tuesday marks his first noncompliance with a formal summons from the team.

Yoon was expected to show up at 9 a.m. at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, where the special counsel's team is based. He did not appear.

The absence was not unexpected. On Monday, Yoon’s legal team notified the press that he would be unable to attend due to health reasons and had filed a request to reschedule for Saturday or Sunday. They called the summons for Tuesday “unilateral” and said the date had been set without mutual agreement.

“The nonappearance on July 1 cannot be interpreted as a refusal to comply,” Yoon's legal team said. “Rescheduling should be regarded as part of negotiations that take into account the court calendar and practical considerations.”

“If he fails to appear on Tuesday, we will immediately notify him of a specific date and time later this week,” said Park Ji-young, assistant special counsel on the case, during a briefing on Monday. “We expect the date to be either July 4 or 5.”

If Yoon again fails to attend, the special counsel team is expected to seek a detention warrant. The office previously said that it would proceed in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Act if Yoon refused to comply.

In that case, new charges could be added to those listed in a previously rejected warrant request, including allegations that Yoon ordered the Presidential Security Service to block his arrest and ordered the deletion of encrypted phone records.

During the initial questioning on Saturday, prosecutors questioned Yoon on Cabinet meetings held around the time martial law was reportedly considered. Further charges related to those discussions are also under review.

To corroborate the sequence of events, investigators on July 1 also questioned Kang Eui-gu, a former senior secretary at the presidential office. Kang is believed to have contacted several cabinet ministers ahead of the martial law discussions and drafted official documents submitted to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Updated, July 1, 2025: Added Yoon's next summons date.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]