Marine Corps Special Prosecutor Conducts First In-Prison Interrogation of Yoon Over "Lee Jongseop Australia Escape Allegations"

The special investigation team led by Special Prosecutor Lee Myunghyun, which is investigating allegations that former Defense Minister Lee Jongseop fled to Australia, visited the Seoul Detention Center where former President Yoon Seokyeol is being held and conducted its first in-prison interrogation.

Former President Yoon Seokyeol appeared at the first trial for charges including obstruction of official duties at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on September 26. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the special investigation team and the Correctional Service, on the 16th, the special prosecutors visited the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, and conducted a face-to-face interrogation of former President Yoon. This marks the first time that any special prosecutor’s team, including those investigating the insurrection and Kim Keonhee cases, has conducted an interrogation inside a detention center.

The interrogation took place from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on this day. The actual questioning lasted for about three and a half hours, and former President Yoon’s legal team spent one hour reviewing the written statement before finalizing it with his signature.

The special prosecutors focused their questioning on allegations that former President Yoon helped Lee Jongseop escape to Australia. The list of questions was about 60 pages long, and the session was also video recorded.

Following his first interrogation on the 11th, former President Yoon again did not exercise his right to remain silent. It is reported that, during the questioning, he generally denied the charges.

The interrogation was personally conducted by Chief Prosecutor Jeong Hyunseung, who is in charge of investigating the Australia escape allegations, with one supporting prosecutor and one investigator present. The session reportedly took place in the official interview room inside the detention center, where face-to-face interrogations of detainees are usually held.

The special prosecutors originally intended to summon former President Yoon for questioning, but considering the investigation period and requests from his legal team, the second interrogation was conducted at the detention center.

The escape allegations stem from an incident in March of last year, when former Minister Lee Jongseop, who was under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, was appointed as ambassador to Australia and left the country. At the time, Lee was under a travel ban, but the ban was lifted four days after his appointment as ambassador. He immediately departed to assume his post, but amid public backlash, he returned to Korea just 11 days later.

Based on the investigations conducted so far, the special prosecutors plan to bring former President Yoon and other suspects involved in the Australia escape allegations to trial. The investigation deadline for the Marine Corps special investigation team is until the 28th.