Police, CIO ramp up psychological pressure ahead of second Yoon operation
Presidential Security Service personnel monitor external movements using binoculars at President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in central Seoul's Hannam-dong, Monday. Korea Times photo by Ha Sang-yoon
The police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) are utilizing psychological tactics to exert pressure on the Presidential Security Service (PSS), as the second arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol looms.
While issuing strong warnings to the leadership of the PSS, they are simultaneously offering leniency to field personnel who cooperate.
The police have ramped up preparations, mobilizing investigative teams from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other regional units, with instructions to remain on standby. Authorities are bracing for a potentially prolonged operation, spanning one or two nights or even longer.
The police’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) warned the PSS that any attempts to block the warrant's execution could lead to arrests. SIU head Woo Jong-soo said, "If the PSS obstructs the execution again, we will arrest those involved as flagrant offenders and consider dispersing them to multiple locations for questioning."
The SIU has already requested an arrest warrant for Kim Sung-hoon, the acting head of the PSS, who replaced former head Park Chong-jun after his resignation. If approved, the police plan to detain Kim on the day of the warrant's execution so as to weaken the PSS’ defenses, noting that field agents are not authorized to protect him under the Presidential Security Act.
Meanwhile, the police have assured leniency for personnel who choose to cooperate, saying, "Those who assist in the execution will not face severe penalties." Despite confirming that conscripts from the 55th Security Battalion were used as human shields during the first warrant attempt, the SIU has no plans to charge them.
Presidential Security Service personnel are seen moving near the entrance of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in central Seoul's Hannam-dong, Monday, as the execution of a second arrest warrant approaches. Korea Times photo by Ha Sang-yoon
CIO bypasses acting chief
Adding to the PSS' difficulties, its former chief Park Chong-jun, considered a moderate within the organization, has cooperated with police investigations. He has appeared for questioning multiple times and voluntarily provided access to his mobile phone, which investigators are now analyzing for communications related to Yoon's orders and the PSS' internal dynamics.
The CIO has aligned with the police, issuing a public warning to the PSS and the Ministry of National Defense. The agency said that obstructing the arrest warrant's execution could result in charges such as obstruction of official duties and abuse of authority, alongside potential civil liabilities for damage incurred during the operation.
Interestingly, the CIO bypassed the PSS' acting chief Kim, directly addressing six departmental heads within the PSS. This move appears to be a calculated attempt to exploit internal discord, as reports suggest growing dissatisfaction with Kim's leadership.
Both the police and the CIO remain tight-lipped about the exact timing of the operation. However, with a week having passed since the warrant’s issuance on Jan. 7, speculation is mounting that an attempt to enter Yoon’s residence in Hannam-dong is imminent.
The SIU has issued mobilization orders to investigators across the Seoul Metropolitan Area and held strategy meetings on Jan. 14 to finalize execution plans.
Observers anticipate that the operation could last more than a day, with one SIU official suggesting, "The execution could stretch over two to three days." The strategy appears to involve leveraging the growing unease among frontline PSS staff to ensure compliance.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.