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Special counsel: 'Abuse of authority, falsification of official documents' listed on ex-President Yoon's warrant

Published: 06 Jul. 2025, 19:18 Updated: 07 Jul. 2025, 09:32

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, front, leaves the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office building in southern Seoul on July 5 after undergoing a second round of questioning by the special counsel team investigating insurrection allegations. [YONHAP]

Yoon Suk Yeol could soon be behind bars: Special counsel prosecutors are pursuing the former president's arrest and detention following an extensive second round of questioning regarding his alleged role in obstructing justice, abusing executive power and inciting a constitutional crisis.

Yoon underwent about 15 hours of questioning Saturday, spending five hours reviewing the session record, as part of the insurrection probe led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk.

Unlike after Yoon's first appearance on June 28, investigators did not notify the former president's legal team of plans for a follow-up summons. Instead, the counsel requested a warrant for his arrest and detention at the Seoul Central District Court on Sunday at 5:20 p.m.

“The charges listed in the warrant include abuse of authority, falsification of official documents and obstruction of official duties. Foreign aggression allegations were not included,” special counsel Park Ji-young said Sunday.

Yoon arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office building in southern Seoul around 9 a.m. on Saturday.

As he did during his first appearance for questioning, he walked past reporters without answering questions, including whether he planned to apologize to the public or had been involved in drafting a martial law decree after leaving office.

His legal team — attorneys Kim Hong-il, Bae Bo-yoon, Song Jin-ho and Chae Myeong-seong — accompanied him. Investigators began questioning Yoon immediately at 9:04 a.m. on the sixth floor without a preliminary interview.

The first part of the session addressed charges related to obstruction of official duties, which had been disrupted during the previous session due to a dispute over investigators.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office building in southern Seoul on July 5. [NEWS1]

The charge stems from allegations that Yoon used the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to the block enforcement of an arrest warrant by the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on Jan. 3.

Special prosecutors Park Eok-su and Jang Woo-sung led the questioning, with senior prosecutors Kim Jeong-guk and Cho Jae-cheol conducting the interrogation.

Investigator Moon Young-seok, prosecutor Koo Seung-ki and Police Chief Park Chang-hwan from the National Office of Investigation’s Serious Crime Investigation Division also supported the efforts.

Yoon’s legal team rotated throughout the session, with Song and Chae present initially before being replaced by Kim and Bae. Prosecutors paused for lunch at 12:05 p.m. Questioning resumed at 1:07 p.m.

The afternoon session focused on allegations that Yoon had abused his authority by pressuring Cabinet ministers during a government meeting ahead of his martial law declaration as well as claims that he was involved in drafting a so-called post-declaration martial law statement.

Prosecutors are investigating whether the Cabinet meeting held before the decree was hastily convened to provide a veneer of procedural legitimacy.

They also questioned Yoon on suspicions that he'd directed the deletion of secure mobile phone records used by the PSS, a possible violation of the Presidential Security Act.

Investigators addressed previously unexplored foreign aggression-related allegations.

Prosecutors suspect Yoon attempted to create a state of emergency — a requirement for declaring martial law — by ordering or considering provocations such as flying drones to Pyongyang or targeting the source of balloon launches filled with waste.

The special counsel team has already questioned both a military officer who reportedly heard of “orders from V [Yoon]” and personnel from the Agency for Defense Development’s aviation division.

The session ended at 6:34 p.m., with Yoon actively engaging throughout and refraining from exercising his right to remain silent.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office building in southern Seoul on July 5. [YONHAP]

He and his attorneys spent longer than five hours reviewing the transcript, skipping dinner. While the first session lasted about five hours, the second ran for more than eight. Yoon left the building at 11:54 p.m., nearly 14½ hours after his arrival.

Detention warrants are typically sought when a suspect is a flight risk or likely to attempt to get rid of evidence.

“We did not include the foreign aggression charges because investigations are still ongoing, and there's a lot to get through,” said Park Ji-young.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY NA UN-CHAE, KIM BO-REUM [[email protected]]