Current Atmosphere at the Presidential Office Ahead of 'Impeachment,' 'Resignation,' and 'Investigation' [AK Radio]

Telegram consecutive withdrawals and re-joins amid somber atmosphere
Yoon stays at residence without official schedule, deliberating response

The atmosphere within the Presidential Office is somber as impeachment and resignation movements against President Yoon Suk-yeol intensify, with investigations by the prosecution and police imminent. According to reporters covering the Presidential Office, there is evident bewilderment over the unprecedented state of emergency, and even key aides reportedly show disagreements over how to manage the situation. Immediately after President Yoon declared the 'state of emergency,' confusion prevailed, but recently, despite the chaotic circumstances, there have been busy efforts to organize and prepare countermeasures. Senior aides at the level of chief secretary and above have responded to some journalists' inquiries but remain tight-lipped about specific details.

Chief Presidential Secretary Jeong Jin-seok recently held a meeting with senior secretaries to discuss future response plans. The weekly senior secretaries meeting, usually held every Sunday afternoon and chaired by the Chief Secretary, was skipped once following the state of emergency but has since resumed. One aide attending the meeting said, "It proceeded in a calm atmosphere as usual," but declined to disclose specifics. Normally, a senior secretaries meeting presided over by the President and a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would follow, but both were canceled after President Yoon announced his retreat from the frontline. In particular, the suspension of the weekly meeting with the Prime Minister and the chairing of Cabinet meetings has caused disruptions in government operations.

Meanwhile, as investigations by the special prosecution task force, police, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) proceed on all fronts, rumors of a search and seizure at the Presidential Office have surfaced. Some aides have shown sensitive reactions, such as leaving and rejoining Telegram accounts. Some aides are reportedly moving to the more secure Signal platform but are refraining from active communication. It is also known that some aides have stopped using KakaoTalk. On Telegram, which was mainly used as a communication channel with reporters covering the Presidential Office, frequent account withdrawals and re-registrations by aides have been confirmed, interpreted as preparations for possible future investigations.

On the 9th, at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. President Yoon Seok-yeol has remained silent, staying secluded in the residence since his emergency statement on the martial law situation on the 7th.

Since issuing a public apology last Saturday, President Yoon Suk-yeol has been staying at the Hannam-dong residence, closely monitoring the situation in the National Assembly. There has been no confirmation of his return to the Yongsan Presidential Office. A Presidential Office official stated, "In the midst of ongoing turmoil within the ruling party, we are exploring future response measures." During the impeachment vote last Saturday, the President also observed the situation from the Hannam-dong residence and has remained there without official schedules since.

As impeachment attacks led by the opposition intensify, the Presidential Office appears to have entered a prolonged battle. Regarding calls for resignation from some within the ruling party, the Presidential Office internally assesses the likelihood as low.

The two-minute statement containing the President's announcement of his retreat from the frontline is reported to have undergone legal review and is analyzed as deliberately avoiding mention of specific future plans or constitutional amendments. Reporters covering the Presidential Office believe, "The possibility of voluntary resignation is low."

Questions remain about the background of the state of emergency declaration. In his statement, President Yoon mentioned 22 impeachment motions against government officials, the forced passage of the budget bill, and attempts to impeach the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, expressing a sense of urgency. However, doubts persist about whether these justify the state of emergency. Various interpretations have emerged, including that it was to cover up suspicions related to the Myeong Taekyun case or to investigate alleged election fraud by the National Election Commission, but only the President knows the truth.

The President is reported to maintain that the direction of declaring the state of emergency was correct. However, he has expressed apologies for causing public anxiety and social confusion. According to aides close to the Presidential Office, this fundamental stance of the President has not significantly changed. The President's basic recognition that the state of emergency declaration stemmed from a desperate concern for the nation is expected to influence future responses.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun drafted the proclamation during the state of emergency declaration process, and there are speculations that discussions among alumni of Chung-Ang High School, including Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, have been ongoing for months. When Kim Min-seok, a senior member of the Democratic Party of Korea, raised the possibility of martial law in August, the Presidential Office strongly denied it as "fake news," but as it materialized, suspicions about prior preparations have grown. In particular, it is speculated that the close ties among Chung-Ang High School alumni influenced the decision to declare the state of emergency.

The prosecution, police, and CIO are expected to form a joint investigation team to uncover the full details of the decision-making process behind the state of emergency declaration. This cooperative system was established to prevent confusion caused by competitive investigations among agencies. Coordination among investigative bodies has become even more critical amid rumors of a possible search and seizure of the Presidential Office.

With the second impeachment vote scheduled for this Saturday, tensions in the political landscape are rising as some members of the People Power Party are reportedly considering participating in the vote. Figures such as People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae and other ruling party members are urging the President's prompt resignation, but the possibility of a constitutional amendment to shorten the presidential term is considered low due to opposition from the opposition parties.

Political circles continue to demand that the President clarify his resignation schedule, but the Presidential Office remains cautious. Particularly within the ruling party, voices calling for the President's swift decision before the impeachment vote on the 14th are growing, making the outcome of the vote on the 14th highly anticipated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.