Former Chief of Security Office and Head of Security Safety Headquarters Appear at Police... Deputy Chief Holding Command Baton Refuses (Comprehensive)

Kim States, "Acting Chief of Security Service... Cannot Leave My Post"
Forced Investigation Measures Expected

Former Presidential Security Service Chief Park Jong-jun, who is accused of leading the obstruction of President Yoon Seok-yeol's arrest, appeared for a second time at the police station. Meanwhile, Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Chief of the Security Service, did not respond to the police's third summons.

Former Presidential Security Chief Park Jong-jun, who led the effort to prevent the arrest of President Yoon Seok-yeol, is leaving the building after completing his investigation at the National Investigation Headquarters of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the night of the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News

Former Chief Park appeared at the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters (NIH) in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, around 9 a.m. on the 11th and is being investigated as a suspect. This is his second investigation, following over 13 hours of questioning starting around 2 p.m. the previous day.

The police are reportedly conducting additional investigations into whether there were any instructions from 'higher-ups' when Park obstructed the arrest of President Yoon on the 3rd, and whether he gave orders to deploy military security personnel to prevent the arrest. Although the police did not make an emergency arrest of former Chief Park the previous day, they have left open the possibility of applying for a preemptive arrest warrant depending on the progress and necessity of the investigation.

Lee Jin-ha, Director of the Security Service’s Security and Safety Headquarters, who is also accused of obstructing official duties, appeared at the police station around 1:55 p.m. on the same day. He is the second Security Service executive to appear after former Chief Park.

Contrary to initial expectations, when Director Lee arrived at the NIH building accompanied by a lawyer, reporters bombarded him with questions such as "Do you admit to the charge of obstructing the execution of the arrest warrant?" and "Why did you respond to the second summons?" Director Lee headed to the interrogation room without giving any answers.

Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service, is responding to committee members' questions about security activities during President Yoon Seok-yeol's use of a military golf course at the National Assembly Steering Committee plenary session. Photo by Yonhap News.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Kim did not comply with the police’s third summons to appear at the NIH by 10 a.m. that day. The Security Service announced, "Deputy Chief Kim Seong-hoon cannot leave his post even for a moment as acting Chief of the Security Service during this critical time, as he is responsible for presidential security duties."

Following former Chief Park’s resignation, Deputy Chief Kim is expected to lead efforts to obstruct the execution of the second arrest warrant. Since he has ignored three summonses, police insiders and observers anticipate that the police will proceed with forced investigation measures such as applying for an arrest warrant.

Earlier, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which formed a joint investigation team with the police, also requested an arrest warrant after President Yoon failed to comply with the third summons. Within the police, there is an assessment of being 'caught off guard' as they investigate former Chief Park, who is now a private citizen, while being unable to summon Deputy Chief Kim, who actually took command of the second arrest obstruction.

The police are reportedly considering an operation to dismantle the Security Service leadership by executing arrest warrants against Deputy Chief Kim and other Security Service executives while attempting the second arrest of President Yoon.

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