Will Yoon Suk Yeol Be Forced to Testify? Special Counsel’s Next Move Revealed

A special counsel team investigating former First Lady Kim Keon Hee is preparing to forcibly summon former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning regarding his alleged illegal interference in the 2022 by-elections.

Yoon has repeatedly ignored summonses from the team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki. The team initially requested that the former president appear for questioning at their office at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, but Yoon refused to comply.

He also rejected an earlier summons to appear for questioning on Tuesday. Yoon is currently held at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, facing separate charges related to his failed attempt to declare martial law on December 3.

In a briefing on Tuesday, Assistant Special Counsel Moon Hong-ju stated that the team is considering compulsory investigation measures, including requesting an arrest warrant, if Yoon fails to appear for Wednesday’s questioning. Moon noted that they had not received any updates from the detention center regarding Yoon’s health status.

Yoon’s legal team has reportedly claimed that the former president’s health is deteriorating, citing worsening diabetes and eye conditions.

The special counsel team intends to question Yoon about potential violations of the Public Official Election Act.

The controversy centers on Yoon’s alleged connections to Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker and pollster. Myung allegedly asked then-presidential candidate Yoon to assist in securing the nomination of former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun for the 2022 by-elections. In exchange, Myung purportedly conducted favorable polls for Yoon at no cost prior to the 2022 presidential election.

Former First Lady Kim is also suspected of involvement in the nomination process.

Additionally, Special Prosecutor Min is investigating Yoon for allegedly making false statements during a People Power Party presidential primary debate in October 2021 regarding his wife’s suspected involvement in a stock manipulation scandal.

This is not the first attempt to forcibly summon Yoon. In mid-July, a separate special counsel team sought to advance its investigation through similar means.

That team, led by Jo Eun-suk and investigating Yoon for alleged insurrection and treason, requested that correctional authorities bring Yoon to the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office for questioning on July 14.

However, the Seoul Detention Center informed the special counsel team that it was unable to execute the forcible summons because Yoon refused to cooperate and leave his cell.

The special counsel team explained that it was challenging for detention center staff to use physical force given Yoon’s status as a former president.

Since being taken back into custody on July 10, the former president has not made any public appearances.