Police: "Dismissal of Warrants for Security Office Kim Seong-hoon and Lee Kwang-woo Influenced 'Yoon's Detention Cancellation'"

Special Investigation Unit Personnel Reduced from 120 to 72

On the 31st, the police stated that the rejection of arrest warrants for Kim Seong-hoon, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service, and Lee Kwang-woo, Head of the Security Headquarters, was "somewhat influenced by President Yoon Seok-yeol's cancellation of the arrest."

Yonhap News

A representative from the Special Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Headquarters said at a regular press briefing that day, "It seems the court initially made that judgment," referring to the decision.

Earlier, on the 21st, Judge Heo Jun-seo of the Seoul Western District Court, who is in charge of arrest warrants, conducted a detention hearing for Kim, who faces charges of obstruction of official duties and abuse of authority under the Presidential Security Act, and Lee. After the hearing, the judge dismissed the arrest warrants, stating, "There is room for the suspects to contest the criminal charges, and at this stage, detention would excessively restrict the suspects' right to defense."

On the 7th, the Criminal Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon) accepted President Yoon's request to cancel the detention, ruling that "the detention period should be calculated based on actual time rather than days."

Currently, the Special Investigation Unit has reduced its personnel from 120 to 72. A police official explained, "This is because the part investigating military-related matters has largely been completed," adding, "It is a natural decrease as it is time to focus on their original duties."

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