Former President Yoon Suk-yeol's Court Appearance Controversy

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the eighth hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on June 23, facing charges of insurrection and abuse of power. On June 26, the special prosecutor team led by Jo Eun-seok announced that they could not accept Yoon's request for a private appearance. They stated, "If he refuses to appear, we will have no choice but to consider procedures under the Criminal Procedure Act."

During a press briefing at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young expressed confusion over the request for a private summons, given that the time and location were already public. He noted that Yoon's team requested access through the underground parking lot, which has not been the practice for any former presidents, including Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Lee Myung-bak, Park Geun-hye, and Roh Moo-hyun, all of whom entered through the main entrance.

Park stated, "We informed Yoon's legal team that we cannot accommodate their request for a change in entry method." He also mentioned that Yoon's team submitted a statement indicating they would not appear if their request for underground access was not granted, which could be interpreted as a refusal to comply with the summons.

He added, "In such cases, it is reasonable to consider the procedures under the Criminal Procedure Act," implying that they might explore coercive measures, such as reapplying for an arrest warrant.

Initially, the special prosecutor's team scheduled Yoon's questioning for 9 AM on June 28, but they accepted a request from Yoon's side to move it to 10 AM due to health concerns. Park explained that the original time was set early to accommodate the volume of questions expected.

Regarding whether the questioning would proceed as planned, Park stated, "It is up to Yoon's team to decide whether he will appear. We hope the questioning will take place." He clarified that there are no plans for late-night questioning unless Yoon agrees, and the lead investigator will be Jo Eun-seok, with details on the questioning team to be provided afterward.

Additionally, Park addressed Yoon's claim that he had never received a summons from the special prosecutor, stating that the team includes personnel from both the police and the special investigation unit of the prosecution. He questioned whether a new summons was necessary after Yoon's team had previously declined police questioning.