Security chief Lee Gwang-woo, who failed to comply three times, was arrested immediately after appearing at the police station.
On the 18th, the ‘hardliners’ of the Presidential Security Service, who are suspected of leading the obstruction of the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol (obstruction of special official duties), were summoned to the police on the 18th.
Deputy Director Kim Seong-hoon and Chief Security Officer Kwang-woo Lee, who are considered hardliners within the Secret Service, appeared at the National Investigation Headquarters in Seodaemun at around 9:30 and 9:45 am, respectively, on this day.
Deputy Director of the Presidential Security Service Kim Seong-hoon (left) and Presidential Security Service Chief of Security Headquarters Lee Gwang-woo. Yonhap News
Deputy Director Kim was arrested by the police immediately after appearing at Noodle House the previous day. After the investigation was completed the previous day, he was transferred to the detention center at Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul.
Deputy Director Kim entered the investigation room without answering reporters’ questions, such as ‘Do you continue to deny the charges?’ and ‘Do you admit to blocking the execution of the arrest warrant?’
Deputy Director Kim was wearing handcuffs covered with black cloth and wearing the same suit as the day before.
There was also a scuffle between Deputy Director Kim’s lawyer and the police. Initially, it seemed that Deputy Director Kim was planning to speak like the previous day, but the investigator stopped him, saying, “This is not a press conference hall.”
Bae Eui-cheol, a lawyer on Deputy Director Kim’s side, told reporters, “Deputy Director Kim just followed the security manual,” and “It was right to present an arrest warrant outside the residence. An arrest warrant was presented while there was an illegal entry, so the Secret Service took a principled response. “I just did it,” he said.
Director Lee Gwang-woo told reporters, “We will faithfully participate in the investigative agency’s investigation,” and added, “The Secret Service was only carrying out its legitimate duties in the security area.”
Questions such as ‘Did you exclude executives who did not follow instructions from their duties?’ and ‘What do you think about the criticism that the Secret Service has become a private army under the leadership of hard-liners?’ were not answered.
Director Lee was arrested by the police at 10:03 a.m. immediately after entering the investigation room.
An arrest warrant was issued for him after he failed to comply with three previous requests to appear.
The police initially planned to arrest Director Lee as well when executing the second arrest warrant for President Yoon on the 15th, but did not execute the warrant after receiving a promise to appear at the police with his lawyer after completing his security duties for President Yoon.
Deputy Director Kim Seong-hoon, who had also postponed the execution of the arrest warrant, was arrested immediately after appearing at the police the day before.
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