VIDEO Search of Cheong Wa Dae foiled
Reporters in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul wait for special investigators who arrived this morning to execute a search warrant to gather evidence on the influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye, Friday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
By Kim Bo-eun
The special prosecution team investigating the influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye failed to search Cheong Wa Dae, Friday, after officials refused to allow them access to the premises.
The independent counsel’s investigators presented a search warrant at the presidential office’s reception area at 10 a.m., but officials denied them entry, saying the areas were national security zones.
The law states that in order to conduct a search of a place that contains military secrets, investigators need permission from officials in charge of it.
Special investigators arrive at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday morning. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
The investigators left at around 3 p.m., five hours after confronting the officials, who said they would instead submit documents requested by the counsel team.
“We regret that Cheong Wa Dae did not allow the search,” counsel team spokesman Lee Kyu-chul said at a press briefing.
He added that the team will send a request to acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, asking for cooperation with the search.
“Under current laws, we have no way to enforce a search of Cheong Wa Dae if it refuses to cooperate,” Lee said.
It remains to be seen if the counsel team will attempt a search again, or accept documents submitted by the presidential office.
This is because there is a contentious clause in the law which states that if the search is not considered harmful to the national interest, it cannot be refused.
The counsel team and Cheong Wa Dae will likely clash over whether the search can be considered “harmful to the national interest.”
“The document from Cheong Wa Dae objecting to the search did not state exactly how searching the presidential quarters undermines the national interest,” Lee said.
Although a search warrant is usually valid for a week, the counsel received court approval for the warrant to be valid through the end of the month, considering the likelihood of Cheong Wa Dae refusing to comply with the search.
Special investigators arrive at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday morning. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
The team wanted to look for evidence of suspicions involving Park, including her alleged acceptance of bribes from conglomerates and her whereabouts on the day of the Sewol ferry sinking in April 2014.
They also sought to check on medical treatment she allegedly received at the presidential office from the doctor of her confidant Choi Soon-sil. The team had aimed to secure evidence before questioning Park face-to-face next week.
In applying for the search warrant, investigators stated President Park is suspected of having taken bribes. This is in addition to the charges of abuse of power and extortion she already faces.
Park is suspected of having ordered Samsung and other conglomerates to provide large amounts of funds to Choi in exchange for business favors.
Whether Park shared financial gains with Choi or not, she can still face bribery charges _ as even if she did not take any of the money, third-party bribery charges can be applied.
“The counsel team attempting a search with a warrant stating the President as a suspect goes against the Constitution, as the impeachment ruling has yet to be made. Therefore it is regrettable,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Jung Youn-kuk said in a statement after the investigators left.
“The team said it would minimize the number of places subject to the search, but it presented 10 warrants _ which included most of the quarters within the presidential office, including those containing military secrets,” he added.
Last October, the prosecution’s special investigation team looking into the scandal also made a failed attempt to search Cheong Wa Dae, as the presidential office refused to allow it, submitting requested documents instead.