Security Chief Claims Duty to Protect President Amid Arrest Warrant Controversy

On March 21, Kim Seong-hoon, the Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service, arrived at the Seoul Western District Court for a pre-arrest interrogation regarding allegations of obstructing the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Kim asserted that he was fulfilling his duty to ensure the president's safety. The court session, which began at 10:30 AM, also included Lee Kwang-woo, the head of the security division, both facing charges of interfering with a police operation aimed at the president's initial arrest.

This marks the first time the two officials are undergoing a court review of their arrest warrants. Kim denied claims that President Yoon had ordered the use of firearms during the incident, as well as allegations that First Lady Kim Kun-hee questioned why firearms were not deployed.

Upon arriving at the court around 10:03 AM, Kim responded to inquiries about whether he acted on presidential orders to thwart the arrest warrant, stating, "There were no such orders. I executed my duties in accordance with the law and internal protocols." He emphasized that it was a natural responsibility of the security service to protect the president when faced with unauthorized entry and damage to the main gate without prior notice.

Kim also refuted reports suggesting that the president had instructed the use of firearms, labeling them as "incorrect reports." Regarding allegations of instructing the deletion of secure phone records, he stated, "There were no deletion orders. The secure phone operates under specific security regulations that require number changes or security measures under certain conditions, and we merely followed those procedures."

Lee Kwang-woo, who arrived at the court earlier at 9:53 AM, did not respond to media questions and simply said, "Thank you for your hard work" before entering the building. Supporters and YouTubers gathered near the court, chanting slogans like "The security service is innocent" in support of Kim and Lee.