Seoul: A special counsel team is set to make another attempt to execute a warrant to detain former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday for questioning regarding election meddling allegations involving him and his wife, according to judicial sources. The attempt will occur at the Seoul Detention Center, where Yoon is currently held following an unsuccessful effort to impose martial law in December.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the warrant for Yoon is due to expire at the end of Thursday. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which is investigating several corruption allegations against Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, initially sought to question the former president last Friday over alleged interference in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. However, Yoon resisted by lying on the floor of his cell in his underwear, preventing the execution of the warrant.
The Ministry of Justice has instructed the Seoul Detention Center to "actively" assist the special counsel in carrying out the warrant. Following the first failed attempt, the special counsel team announced its intention to execute the warrant with physical force if necessary and apply for a new warrant if required.
The court issued the detention warrant last Thursday after Yoon twice ignored the special counsel's summons, citing health issues. Yoon and his wife are accused of accepting free opinion polls from alleged power broker Myung Tae-kyun before the 2022 presidential election. This was allegedly in return for securing the nomination of former People Power Party Rep. Kim Young-sun for a parliamentary by-election later that year.