Seoul: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's plea to delay a second round of questioning by a special counsel concerning his martial law bid has been denied by prosecutors. Yoon had requested the session be postponed from Tuesday to later in the week and sought consultation with his legal team before a date was decided, according to a notice from his lawyers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, an official from the special counsel's team stated that Yoon's request would not be accommodated. The team is prepared to immediately reschedule the questioning if Yoon fails to appear as requested on Tuesday. Yoon had already undergone the first round of questioning on Saturday regarding his attempt to impose martial law back in December.
The special counsel had initially scheduled a second session for Monday, but Yoon's legal representatives asked for a delay until Thursday or later, citing his health concerns and a scheduled hearing related to his criminal trial on insurrection charges. The special counsel partially accepted this request, moving the session to Tuesday. However, another request for postponement was made by Yoon on Monday.
Yoon's lawyers criticized the special counsel's approach, stating that "the special counsel's perception that the investigative authority can unilaterally decide the schedule runs counter to the principles of a voluntary investigation and the basic spirit of the Criminal Procedure Code."
The special counsel team maintains that the investigation's schedule is determined by the investigative authority and indicated they might seek a warrant to detain Yoon if he continues to defy the orders.