South Korea’s suspended President Yoon Suk-Yeol has refused a circular for questioning for the second time and will not participate in the investigation process, the investigation team said on Monday.
Yeol had declared martial law in South Korea 11 days ago. However, he was forced to withdraw the move within hours due to widespread protests from the opposition Democratic Party and South Korean citizens. On December 14, the South Korean parliament impeached and removed him from office over this incident.
Yun has been impeached and charged with sedition for a drama that has shocked South Korea’s democratic allies around the world. The charges could carry a life sentence or even the death penalty.
The anti-corruption agency investigating Yoon’s declaration of short-term military rule said it had sent letters to his office and residence twice, asking him to appear for questioning. “The postal system shows that the presidential office ‘refused’ to acknowledge the circulars for his presence,” the investigators said in a statement.
The postal system has shown that the circular sent electronically has been ‘ignored’. In a circular sent via email, investigators wrote to the 64-year-old Prawai leader asking him to appear for a statement at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day. According to local media, Yoon was called in to speak because it would reduce traffic and congestion.
If Yoon appears and cooperates with the investigation process as ordered, he would become the first sitting South Korean president to face questioning by the investigation agency. He did not appear at a preliminary hearing last Wednesday and did not provide an explanation for his absence.
If Yoon does not appear next Wednesday, the Corruption Investigation Office may issue an arrest warrant to compel him to appear. Yun has been suspended after parliament passed an impeachment motion, but the Constitutional Court is investigating whether to uphold his impeachment.
The court has been given about six months to deliver its verdict. If the court decides to remove him from office, a by-election must be held within two months of the decision.
