Special Prosecutor to Question Yoon Sukyeol at 10 a.m. Tomorrow on Rebellion Charges

Yoon Requests to Use Underground Parking Lot for Appearance
Special Prosecutor's Team: "Closed-Door Appearance Not Allowed"
Kim Hongil and Song Jinho to Attend as Legal Counsel
Investigation to Begin with Charges of Obstructing Arrest and Secure Phone Use
Comprehensive Probe Expected, Including Martial Law Conspiracy
Unlikely Yoon Will Exercise Right to Remain Silent
Detention Warrant Request Also Under Consideration

Former President Yoon Sukyeol announced on the 27th that he would appear before the special prosecutor's team investigating the rebellion case at 10 a.m. on the 28th for questioning. Initially, Yoon's side stated their intention to appear using the underground parking lot of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, where the special prosecutor's team is located, on the condition that the media would not be allowed to cover his arrival. However, when the special prosecutor's team reiterated that "he is not an incumbent president" and that a closed-door appearance would not be permitted, Yoon's side relented, stating, "Even if the method of entry is not agreed upon, he will still appear."

Former President Yoon Sukyeol is attending the 8th trial session for charges of leading a rebellion and abuse of authority obstructing the exercise of rights at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on June 23, 2025. Photo by Joint Press Corps

This is the first time the investigative authorities have summoned "suspect Yoon Sukyeol" for questioning since the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) questioned him on January 15 of this year. However, during the CIO questioning, former President Yoon exercised his right to remain silent, so the upcoming questioning by the special prosecutor's team is expected to be the first substantive investigation. It is considered unlikely that former President Yoon will exercise his right to remain silent during the special prosecutor's investigation, as he is currently on trial for rebellion charges.

The special prosecutor's team is expected to begin questioning former President Yoon with charges such as obstruction of official duties for interfering with the execution of arrest warrants by the police and the CIO, and instructing those involved in the case to delete records of calls made via secure phones. However, these are only part of the charges he is facing.

Therefore, it is highly likely that a comprehensive investigation will be conducted, including the declaration of martial law on December 3 of last year, the Cabinet meeting, the process of lifting martial law, and the alleged collusion with military officials such as former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun during the preparation stage for martial law.

The special prosecutor act also covers the possibility that former President Yoon may have attempted to provoke North Korea, which could constitute a foreign exchange offense. Given that it is difficult to investigate all the charges against him in a single day, the investigation may continue in the future.

It is known that former Chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Kim Hongil and attorney Song Jin-ho, who are part of former President Yoon's legal team, will be present during the questioning on the 28th. Kim Hongil, who previously served as the head of the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, is known to have a close relationship with both former President Yoon and Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok.

Previously, the special prosecutor's team rejected former President Yoon's request for a closed-door appearance, stating that it could be seen as preferential treatment. However, they did accept his request to postpone the appearance time by one hour, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. It is reported that former President Yoon requested the change for health reasons.

During a press briefing, Deputy Special Prosecutor Park Jiyoung said, "Since the location and time of the appearance are already public, I do not understand what a closed-door appearance would mean," adding, "We need to consider how the public would perceive it if he were treated differently from other suspects." She also stated, "None of the former presidents?Chun Doohwan, Roh Tae-woo, Lee Myungbak, Park Geunhye, or Roh Moo-hyun?ever entered through the underground parking lot."

The special prosecutor's team requested an arrest warrant for former President Yoon on the 24th, six days after the investigation began, but the court dismissed it. Depending on the progress of the investigation, the special prosecutor's team may also consider requesting a detention warrant for former President Yoon.

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