Former President Yoon Suk-yeol again failed to appear on the 30th for the second summons by the special counsel investigating insurrection over "foreign exchange allegations."
At a media briefing that day, Special Counsel Deputy Park Ji-young said, "Former President Yoon Suk-yeol did not comply with the summons without submitting a separate opinion letter or a statement of reasons for nonappearance."
This is the second time Yoon has defied a summons for questioning by the special counsel. Earlier, the special counsel notified Yoon on 24th to appear as a suspect over foreign exchange allegations, including the "deployment of a Pyongyang drone," but Yoon did not show up for questioning. In response, the special counsel reissued a summons for 10 a.m. on the 30th.
Deputy Special Counsel Park said, "Except for former President Yoon, none of the suspects or witnesses refused to be questioned," adding, "Only former President Yoon, who said he would 'take responsibility,' is refusing." Park continued, "We will proceed (with the next steps) in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure, the same as for ordinary suspects who refuse a special counsel summons." The procedures under the Code of Criminal Procedure cited by the special counsel are understood to include seeking an arrest warrant.
At the special counsel's request, People Power Party lawmaker Kim Tae-ho, whose pretrial witness examination had been scheduled for the afternoon, submitted a nonappearance statement to the Seoul Southern District Court, Deputy Special Counsel Park said. People Power Party lawmaker Seo Bum-soo, who was also scheduled for a pretrial witness examination, was likewise expected not to appear. Regarding this, Park said, "It seems the examination date will be postponed."
Reporters also asked, "Prosecutors seconded to the Kim Keon-hee special counsel are said to be returning to their offices; is there no such move in the insurrection special counsel?" Deputy Special Counsel Park said, "We have not received anything directly related to that in the insurrection special counsel," adding, "All members of the special counsel are carrying out their duties diligently with a sense of historical mission."
In response to a question from reporters on "how the prosecution will be maintained after the special counsel's investigation period ends," Deputy Special Counsel Park said, "Under the Special Counsel Act, maintaining the prosecution is to be carried out with a minimum workforce by appropriately downsizing personnel. There will be adjustments in staffing considering that," adding, "However, the prosecutors directly investigating now know the case better than anyone, so I think the role of seconded prosecutors will be significant."