South Korea: Ex-President Yoon questioned over alleged attempt to block arrest warrant execution

Seoul, July 5 (IANS) Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is being questioned over allegations that he attempted to block investigators from executing an arrest warrant in January as part of a broader probe into his failed martial law attempt, the special counsel's office said on Saturday.

Yoon appeared before the office of special counsel Cho Eun-suk, located in the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul, for a second round of questioning, just a week after the first session.

"An investigation related to the obstruction of the arrest is currently under way," assistant special prosecutor Park Ji-young told reporters in a briefing. "I was told that the questioning is proceeding smoothly."

Yoon is facing allegations that he directed the Presidential Security Service to block investigators from executing a warrant to detain him in early January and to delete records from secure phones used by several military commanders after his failed martial law bid.

The team is also likely to examine the circumstances surrounding the martial law declaration on December 3.

Earlier this week, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and two other ministers were questioned as part of the expanding investigation into Cabinet members involved on the night martial law was declared, Yonhap news agency reported.

It marks his second questioning by the team, following the first session last Saturday, Yonhap news agency reported. The team also examined the circumstances surrounding the martial law declaration on December 3.

Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk, earlier on Friday summoned Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and Park Jong-joon, former head of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), in connection with his probe into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration.

Lee and Park were reportedly asked to appear at Cho's office within the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul on Friday afternoon.

Cho's office plans to question Lee about the circumstances before and after Yoon convened an emergency Cabinet meeting on the night of December 3 last year prior to the martial law imposition. Lee did not attend the Cabinet meeting because he was not given prior notice.

The special counsel's office has been calling in all of Yoon's Cabinet ministers, including former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, since earlier this week for similar questioning.

The office plans to question Park as part of its investigation into allegations that Yoon ordered the PSS to block investigators from executing a warrant to detain him in early January, reports Yonhap news agency.

--IANS

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