[News Today] CIO TASKED WITH PRES. PROBE

[LEAD]
The probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol, accused of leading an insurrection, is now centralized. The case has been transferred to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials from the prosecutors. This shift will likely impact President Yoon's summoning schedule.

[REPORT]
Accusations have been pouring into investigation agencies after the martial law incident.

Most of the allegations were pointed at President Yoon Suk Yeol and military officials such as ex-defense minister Kim Yong-hyun and ex-Defense Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung.

Having been criticized for investigating overlapping cases, the probing agencies urged one another to hand over the case.

Lee Jae-seung / Dep. Director, CIO (Dec. 9)
When different agencies investigate the same crime, it's stipulated that the CIO can ask for the case to be transferred, other agencies must accept the request.

About two weeks after the declaration of martial law, it's decided the probe on President Yoon will be conducted solely by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office agreed to hand over the President's case as well as that of former interior minister Lee Sang-min to the anti-corruption body.

The CIO instead withdrew transfer requests for the cases other than those for the two officials.

On Wednesday, a CIO official said that only President Yoon and ex-Minister Lee's cases were transferred and investigations on other suspects and sharing of materials will be discussed later with pertinent investigative bodies.

As the investigation on the President was passed over to the CIO, it is very likely that Yoon doesn't need to show up for questioning by December 21st as the prosecution demanded.

Since the CIO is expected to summon and question the President, he no longer has the excuse not to appear for questioning.

One of his reasons for refusing summons was that the prosecution and the police are both investigating the case.

A few hours after the CIO announcement of case transfer, the prosecution's special investigation unit chief Park Se-hyun visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

Some speculated that he went to the SPO to protest the case transfers, but the top prosecutors' office denied the speculation by saying that Park had discussed ways to proceed with the investigation following the transfers.