Lee Kwang-woo, the head of the Presidential Security Service, who is suspected of obstructing the execution of a warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol, claimed on the 23rd that he had deployed a submachine gun at the residence during the execution of the second warrant, stating that it was "to prepare for a demonstration, not the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials."
The Deputy Minister stated in a position paper distributed to the media that the instruction, "If the second gate is breached, run out with a machine gun," meant that if the second gate was breached by demonstrators, the security officer was to come out with the MP7 to guard the entrance.
The National Police Agency's Emergency Military Investigation Team recently secured testimonies from officials in the security service stating that the Deputy Minister instructed, "Take out 2 MP7s and 80 rounds of ammunition from the residence's armory and place them at the family desk," and "If the second gate is breached, run out with a machine gun." On this day, the Deputy Minister's remarks practically acknowledged the deployment of weapons, including the MP7 submachine gun.
The Deputy Minister continued, stating that at the time, internal notifications from demonstrators around the residence circulated, saying, "Encouragement for arms use by the security service" and "Once firearms are used, forcibly enter the residence." He noted that the progressive labor group had stated that if the first warrant execution did not occur, they would operate a "10,000-person arrest team." The security service reinforced vigilance in accordance with the security manual in preparation for a large-scale illegal group's intrusion into the residence.
He stated, "Security service personnel basically carry personal handguns while on duty, and the 55th Security Unit guarding the perimeter carries rifles," adding that "it is natural to move the MP7 in accordance with enhanced border security as per the security manual."
The Deputy Minister said that four days before the execution of the second arrest warrant on the 11th, he reinforced border security by placing 2 MP7s at the family desk inside the residence based on information about illegal arrest teams, clarifying that "the security service consistently instructed not to engage in physical confrontation during the second execution by the CIO." He also stated, "As President Yoon did not issue any orders for firearms use, the President is unrelated to the deployment of weapons," adding, "President Yoon has consistently emphasized that there should be no use of force or confrontation with the CIO."
The Deputy Minister is scheduled to appear at the National Police Agency on the morning of the 24th at around 7:30 a.m. He is known to be part of the security service's 'hardliners' who argued that they should prevent the execution of the warrant even by using physical force alongside Vice Administrator Kim Sung-hoon and Vice Administrator Kim Shin.
The police are reviewing an application for an arrest warrant against the Deputy Minister. The police arrested the Deputy Minister after he appeared for questioning, but considering that the prosecution rejected an arrest warrant against Vice Administrator Kim, they released the Deputy Minister without applying for an arrest warrant.
The police also notified Vice Administrator Kim to appear at the same time as the Deputy Minister.
Meanwhile, attorney Bae Eui-cheol, the lawyer for Vice Administrator Kim, clarified his remarks in a statement to the press on this day. Attorney Bae, who also represents President Yoon, recounted the situation just before the execution of the second arrest warrant, saying, "Vice Administrator Kim cried out, 'I will go out with a gun and show those illegal forces the constitutional order of the Republic of Korea.'"
He stated, "It is true that Vice Administrator Kim wept, but he did not make such a statement and requested his lawyer to issue a correction," adding, "This was not something heard directly from Vice Administrator Kim but rather something distorted through surrounding remarks."