Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Police book Yoon for allegedly instructing security service to block his detention
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks with his lawyer, while attending the 10th hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-hyun
Police booked President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday on suspicion of ordering the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to obstruct the execution of a detention warrant against him last month.
A police special investigation team said investigators have obtained text messages between Yoon and Kim Seong-hoon, the deputy chief of the PSS.
These messages were sent via the U.S.-based encrypted messaging service Signal. They suggest that Yoon instructed the PSS to intervene when law enforcement sought to detain him.
Yoon had already been charged with obstruction of official duties after a complaint was filed by the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party last month.
However, as a sitting president, he cannot be prosecuted for criminal offenses unless they involve insurrection or treason, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or death.
The messages were sent around the time of two attempted detention warrant executions. In one message, Yoon reportedly urged the PSS to "take an active role" in preventing his detention.
During the first attempt to execute Yoon’s detention warrant on Jan. 3, Kim sent seven messages to Yoon, with the president replying once.
Around midday, Yoon allegedly instructed Kim and former PSS chief Park Jong-jun to block access through the second gate of the presidential residence. This led to security personnel forming a human barricade and preventing law enforcement from advancing.
While Kim had denied receiving any orders from Yoon to obstruct the arrest, new evidence contradicts this claim.
On Jan. 7, before the second attempt at detaining Yoon, Kim reportedly told Yoon, “I’ll block them firmly.” Yoon reportedly replied, “Only think about the safety of the commander-in-chief” and “Ensure full control of the security perimeter.”
Kim, a known Yoon loyalist within the PSS, conveyed the instructions to the staff. However, when security personnel refused to comply on Jan. 15, Yoon was ultimately detained.
A police official confirmed that while they cannot disclose the exact content of the messages, they emphasized that investigators had already suspected the president of issuing orders to obstruct his arrest before obtaining the messages.
The allegations against Yoon were initially raised in the arrest warrant for Kim, who is also under investigation for obstruction of official duties.
Since last month, police have requested an arrest warrant for Kim three times from the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, but all requests have been denied, delaying the investigation. Police are now considering transferring Kim's case to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.
Yoon is currently undergoing an impeachment trial after being suspended from office after the National Assembly impeached him over his controversial declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 last year.