Kim Dae-ki, Lee Eun-woo and Others Face Warrants One After Another... Special Prosecutor Pressures Yoon and Three Key Figures Over Refusal to Appear

\r\n[The Financial News] The Second Comprehensive Special Prosecutor Team, led by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young, has been filing arrest warrants day after day for suspects under investigation. It is also increasing pressure on key figures in the insurrection case, including former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
According to the legal community on the 19th, the special prosecutor's team filed arrest warrants for three people, including former presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki, former senior presidential secretary for general affairs Yoon Jae-soon, and former senior presidential secretary for administrative affairs Kim Oh-jin, on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. The team is investigating the alleged irregularities surrounding the relocation of the presidential residence.
The special prosecutor's team explained, "We requested the arrest warrants after comprehensively considering the seriousness of the crimes, the risk of destroying evidence, and the need for further investigation." It added, "Despite objections from the relevant ministries, we confirmed that budget funds from the Government Buildings Management Headquarters, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which had nothing to do with the presidential residence, were illegally diverted at the suspects' direction."
According to the special prosecutor's team, after Yoon Suk Yeol was elected president in 2022, allegations emerged that 21gram, which did not hold a general construction license, received preferential treatment by being awarded a negotiated contract for relocation and expansion work at the presidential residence. In this case, Kim and the other two suspects are accused of illegally redirecting budget funds during the relocation process.
The team is said to have questioned Kim on the 13th, Yoon on the 14th, and Kim on the 15th as suspects in order to seek arrest warrants and other compulsory measures against them.
Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 18th, the special prosecutor's team filed an arrest warrant for former Korea Policy Broadcasting Institute (KTV) chief Lee Eun-woo on charges of propaganda for insurrection. It was the first arrest warrant request since the team began its investigation.
Lee is accused of repeatedly and intensively broadcasting news reports that justified the declaration of martial law and other acts of insurrection from immediately after Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law on December 3 until December 13, 2024, while blocking or deleting reports that criticized or opposed them.
The special prosecutor's investigation is narrowing in on key figures in the insurrection case surrounding the December 3 Martial Law crisis, including Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and former NIS chief Cho Tae-yong. However, these key figures have repeatedly refused to comply with the team's summons.
On the 30th of last month, the special prosecutor's team notified Yoon to appear for questioning as part of its broader probe into allegations related to the insurrection. Yoon's side refused, saying it did not have enough time to prepare for the summons because of the many trials already underway.
In response, the team notified Yoon's side to appear for questioning on the 23rd and 26th, respectively, on charges of rebellion under the Military Criminal Act and abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. It is now reportedly coordinating the schedule for the summons with Yoon's side.
The team also notified Kim on the 6th and on the 29th of last month to appear for questioning on rebellion charges under the Military Criminal Act, but Kim's side refused both times, arguing that a trial on the same matter is already under way and that the special prosecutor's investigation amounts to double prosecution and an illegal probe. The team has since summoned Kim again for the 21st on rebellion charges.
The team has also booked Cho and six other political appointees at the NIS, including former First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won, as suspects. It notified Cho to appear on the same day, but Cho is said to have indicated that he would not attend.
Investigative authorities typically notify a suspect three times for questioning and, if the suspect still fails to comply, seek warrants from the court and move to compulsory investigation. A legal source said, "As the special prosecutor's team did in the insurrection special prosecutor case led by Cho Eun-seok, it is not possible to rule out the possibility that it could obtain a warrant and forcibly bring in Yoon, who is currently serving a sentence."
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kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-gyu Reporter