Police Investigation Thwarted: Presidential Security Service Blocks Search Over ‘Arrest Interference’ Allegations 🚨

An attempt by police to execute a search warrant related to allegations that former President Yoon Suk-yeol interfered with his own arrest was blocked by the Presidential Security Service, citing reasons of military and official secrecy.

Key Points:

• The police special investigation unit was attempting to search the presidential office and related residences.
• The Security Service cited Article 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which protect locations and items requiring military or official secrecy.
• The search was related to allegations that Yoon Suk-yeol used the Security Service to obstruct an initial arrest attempt by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (공수처 – Gongsoocheo) and police on January 3rd.

  The 공수처 (Gongsoocheo) is a South Korean independent agency responsible for investigating corruption cases of high-ranking public officials.

• Police sought to seize documents and the server of secure phones (비화폰 – Bihwa-pon).

  비화폰 (Bihwa-pon) refers to secure or encrypted phones used for confidential communication.

• They also aimed to secure CCTV footage to investigate allegations against former Minister of the Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min.
• The Security Service agreed to submit data from the secure phone server via voluntary submission and will continue to discuss the methods and procedures.

Full Article

SEOUL, April 16 (Yonhap) — An attempt by police to execute a search warrant related to allegations that former President Yoon Suk-yeol interfered with his own arrest was blocked by the Presidential Security Service, citing reasons of military and official secrecy.

The police’s special investigation unit announced around 8:40 PM that they had received a letter of disapproval for the execution of the search warrant from the Presidential Office and the Security Service.

According to the police, the Security Service agreed to submit data from the secure phone server via voluntary submission and will continue to discuss the methods and procedures.

The Security Service based its refusal on Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which state that locations and items requiring military or official secrecy cannot be seized or searched without the approval of the responsible authority or government office.

The police attempted to present the search warrant to security personnel at the Presidential Office and the Hannam-dong official residence entrance around 10:13 AM.

However, the Presidential Office and the Security Service did not permit the execution, leading to the police withdrawing after 10 and a half hours.

The search targeted the Security Service’s secure phone server within the Presidential Office, the Security Service office within the official residence complex, and documents at the Security Service chief’s residence.

The police planned to use this data to prove allegations that former President Yoon, through the Security Service, obstructed an initial arrest attempt by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and police on January 3rd.

They also aimed to secure CCTV footage from the Presidential Office to investigate allegations against former Minister of the Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, for ordering the disconnection of power and water to media outlets.

The police had previously attempted to seize the Security Service’s secure phone server, a key piece of evidence in revealing the truth of the martial law situation, but were repeatedly unsuccessful due to the disapproval of Chief Kim.

With Yoon having lost his immunity from prosecution following his impeachment, and Chief Kim having offered his resignation the previous day, there were earlier expectations that this search might be different.