South Korea: Ex-Prez Yoon to be summoned again for questioning

Seoul, June 29 (IANS) A special counsel team plans to summon former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol this week for another round of questioning over insurrection charges tied to his December 3 martial law declaration after grilling him for the first time over the weekend.

After a 15-hour session, Yoon left the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul early on Sunday, following questioning over allegations that he ordered the Presidential Security Service to block his arrest when investigators attempted to execute a warrant in January.

The special counsel team has notified Yoon to appear for questioning again on Monday. It plans to summon him for questioning indefinitely until it wraps up the investigation.

Special prosecutors questioned Yoon for about five hours during the marathon session, which was partially suspended due to objections from Yoon's lawyers over the presence of a police investigator whom they claimed was unfit to question the former president.

Yoon was questioned about a Cabinet meeting that took place just before his martial law declaration, his alleged attempt to obstruct the National Assembly from passing a resolution to lift martial law, and treason charges.

Yoon's lawyers told reporters after the session that the former president responded to the questions to the best of his knowledge.

The special counsel team plans to resume questioning Yoon at 9 a.m. (local time) on Monday, over allegations he ordered officials to delete records of secure phones used by those allegedly involved in martial law operations, reported Yonhap news agency.

Yoon's legal team said it would hold talks with the special counsel over scheduling the next session.

"(He) will obviously respond to a summons that follows due process," Song Jin-ho, one of Yoon's lawyers, told reporters.

The questioning took place two weeks after the special counsel probe was launched and 85 days after he was removed from office.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) attempted to detain him in early January but failed due to a prolonged standoff with presidential security personnel. He ended up being detained on January 15, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

Yoon did not respond to reporters' questions when entering or leaving the building.

--IANS

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