S. Korea: Special counsel orders ex-President Yoon to appear for questioning Saturday

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk on Tuesday summoned former President Yoon Suk Yeol to appear for questioning over his martial law bid this weekend, suggesting the investigation team could seek a detention warrant in the event he fails to comply, Yonhap reports. 

Special counsel orders ex-President Yoon to appear for questioning Saturday
Photo credit: Yonhap

Yoon had been asked to appear at Cho's office at 9 a.m. on the day to undergo further questioning over his martial law bid following the first round Saturday.

The former president, however, failed to appear.

"The special counsel has notified former President Yoon to appear by 9 a.m. on July 5," Park Ji-young, a deputy to the special counsel, said during a press briefing, noting it is the final summons.

"In the event he does not comply on the 5th, we think the court will issue (a detention warrant), as long as all the requirements are met," she added.

Legal sources said Yoon's legal team has asked the special counsel to delay his appearance for questioning by an hour to 10 a.m., apparently signaling his intent to comply with the summons for Saturday's questioning.

The special counsel, however, rejected the request and reiterated its summons for Yoon to show up at 9 a.m.

The special counsel team's first request for a detention warrant was rejected by the Seoul Central District Court last week.

Yoon's nonappearance Tuesday was expected as his lawyers had repeatedly requested a postponement, citing his health and a scheduled hearing for his criminal trial on insurrection charges.

Cho's team partially accepted the request and postponed the date once from Monday to Tuesday but refused to make any additional adjustments.

This marked the first time Yoon defied the special counsel's summons.

As reported previously, the South Korean government has ordered ambassadors to some nations, including the United States and Japan, appointed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, to step down, in line with customary practice, diplomatic sources said Tuesday. 

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