Presidential Safety Service personnel monitor exterior actions utilizing binoculars at President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in central Seoul’s Hannam-dong, Monday. Korea Occasions picture by Ha Sang-yoon
The police and the Corruption Investigation Workplace for Excessive-ranking Officers (CIO) are using psychological techniques to exert stress on the Presidential Safety Service (PSS), because the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol looms.
Whereas issuing robust warnings to the management of the PSS, they’re concurrently providing leniency to subject personnel who cooperate.
The police have ramped up preparations, mobilizing investigative groups from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Company and different regional items, with directions to stay on standby. Authorities are bracing for a probably extended operation, spanning one or two nights and even longer.
The police’s Particular Investigation Unit (SIU) warned the PSS that any makes an attempt to dam the warrant’s execution may result in arrests. SIU head Woo Jong-soo stated, „If the PSS obstructs the execution once more, we’ll arrest these concerned as flagrant offenders and contemplate dispersing them to a number of areas for questioning.“
The SIU has already requested an arrest warrant for Kim Sung-hoon, the appearing head of the PSS, who changed former head Park Chong-jun after his resignation. If accredited, the police plan to detain Kim on the day of the warrant’s execution in order to weaken the PSS’ defenses, noting that subject brokers aren’t licensed to guard him below the Presidential Safety Act.
In the meantime, the police have assured leniency for personnel who select to cooperate, saying, „Those that help within the execution won’t face extreme penalties.“ Regardless of confirming that conscripts from the fifty fifth Safety Battalion have been used as human shields throughout the first warrant try, the SIU has no plans to cost them.
Presidential Safety Service personnel are seen shifting close to the doorway of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in central Seoul’s Hannam-dong, Monday, because the execution of a second arrest warrant approaches. Korea Occasions picture by Ha Sang-yoon
CIO bypasses appearing chief
Including to the PSS‘ difficulties, its former chief Park Chong-jun, thought-about a average throughout the group, has cooperated with police investigations. He has appeared for questioning a number of occasions and voluntarily supplied entry to his cell phone, which investigators at the moment are analyzing for communications associated to Yoon’s orders and the PSS‘ inner dynamics.
The CIO has aligned with the police, issuing a public warning to the PSS and the Ministry of Nationwide Protection. The company stated that obstructing the arrest warrant’s execution may end in fees resembling obstruction of official duties and abuse of authority, alongside potential civil liabilities for harm incurred throughout the operation.
Curiously, the CIO bypassed the PSS‘ appearing chief Kim, instantly addressing six departmental heads throughout the PSS. This transfer seems to be a calculated try to use inner discord, as reviews counsel rising dissatisfaction with Kim’s management.
Each the police and the CIO stay tight-lipped in regards to the actual timing of the operation. Nevertheless, with every week having handed because the warrant’s issuance on Jan. 7, hypothesis is mounting that an try and enter Yoon’s residence in Hannam-dong is imminent.
The SIU has issued mobilization orders to investigators throughout the Seoul Metropolitan Space and held technique conferences on Jan. 14 to finalize execution plans.
Observers anticipate that the operation may final greater than a day, with one SIU official suggesting, „The execution may stretch over two to a few days.“ The technique seems to contain leveraging the rising unease amongst frontline PSS workers to make sure compliance.
This text from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Occasions, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Occasions.
