South Korea president Yoon’s chief bodyguard appears before police for questioning
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Security guards stand outside the official residence of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan 9.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL - The chief of South Korea’s Presidential Security Service, Mr Park Jong-joon, appeared for police questioning at 10am on Jan 10.
Mr Park faces allegations of obstructing the execution of a court-ordered warrant
In front of the National Office of Investigation of the Korean National Police Agency in Seoul, Mr Park, who commands Mr Yoon’s bodyguards, claimed investigators attempting to carry out the warrant to arrest Mr Yoon were “inappropriate”.
“I believe that investigation procedures appropriate for the status of a sitting president should be conducted,” he said.
Mr Park added: “I understand that many are deeply concerned about the ongoing stand-off and tensions between government agencies.
“However, under no circumstances should bloodshed between government agencies take place (over Mr Yoon’s detention).”
It was the third time Mr Park has been summoned by the police, after being booked on charges of obstructing official duties.
He refused to show up for the police’s first summons on Jan 4, claiming that he could not leave his post, “given the critical nature of presidential security operations”.
The police then issued a second summons on Jan 7, to which Mr Park responded at the time that he would not appear, as he was “yet to retain legal counsel”.
On Jan 3, hundreds of Mr Yoon’s presidential bodyguards blocked the joint probe team’s attempt to arrest him at the presidential residence in Seoul.
After a stand-off of over five hours, the joint probe team, comprised of police from the National Office of Investigation and prosecutors from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, retreated and vowed to carry out the arrest warrant again in the near future. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
