SEOUL (Sputnik) – South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is unlikely to show up for questioning over his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December while investigators await him, the Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.
A joint law enforcement team investigating the martial law case has asked Yoon to appear for questioning at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on December 25, which is Catholic Christmas Day.
Seok Dong-hyeon, Yoon’s lawyer, reportedly said that the president considers the Constitutional Court’s impeachment inquiry to be a priority and that is why he will deliver a statement on the matter after the holiday.
«We believe that he is unlikely to be able to attend [the December 25 questioning],» Seok was quoted as telling journalists.
The police have teamed up with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) and the defense ministry to conduct a joint investigation into charges of inciting sedition and abuse of power in the declaration of martial law against Yoon and other lawmakers.
Earlier in the month, Yonhap reported that police had raided Yoon’s office as part of the probe into the failed attempt to impose martial law.
On December 3, Yoon declared martial law, claiming that the opposition was sympathizing with North Korea and plotting subversion. The parliament defied the presidential declaration and voted to lift the martial law. The office of the speaker of the parliament, Woo Won-shik, said that the president’s declaration of martial law was invalid following the lawmakers’ vote.
Shortly after, the South Korean president lifted martial law and apologized to the nation. He was banned from leaving the country pending the results of an investigation, while the former defense minister was arrested on suspicion of treason.
