President Yoon contradicts past statements by avoiding investigation

[Anchor]

President Yoon has stated that he will not evade responsibility whether he is impeached or investigated.

However, in reality, he has not responded to requests from investigative agencies and has not received the impeachment trial documents.

This is a completely different course of action from what President Yoon has said and done in the past.

Reporter Kim So-young has the details.

[Report]

Immediately after the emergency martial law situation, there were predictions in the legal community that President Yoon Suk Yeol would actively respond to future investigations.

This is because President Yoon is a legal expert who has even served as the Prosecutor General.

[President Yoon Suk Yeol/Dec. 12: "Whether I am impeached or investigated, I will face it with confidence."]

However, since his last statement on December 14, President Yoon has not made any public appearances.

While military and police leaders, as well as cabinet members involved in the emergency martial law, have been investigated one after another, President Yoon has not even received the attendance request sent by the investigative agency.

Through his lawyer, he stated, "I will prioritize the impeachment trial over the investigation."

[Seok Dong-hyun/President Yoon's side/Dec. 23: "I think he wants it to be addressed in a public court that is open for everyone to view."]

He also refused to accept the impeachment trial documents.

During his time as the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, President Yoon investigated the 'judicial power abuse' case.

When the judiciary did not cooperate with the submission of materials, he made sharp criticisms.

[Yoon Suk Yeol/then Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors's Office/2018/Legislation and Judiciary Committee: "You asked us to conduct an investigation, so you should provide the materials."]

At that time, he also stated that a direct investigation into former Supreme Court Chief Yang Seung-tae, who was pointed out as the leader of the judicial power abuse, was inevitable.

[Joo Kwang-deok/then Member of the Liberty Korea Party/2018/Legislation and Judiciary Committee: "Ultimately, an investigation into former Supreme Court Chief Yang Seung-tae will be unavoidable, right? Can we imagine concluding this case without an investigation?"]

[Yoon Suk Yeol/then Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office: "It seems a bit difficult."]

In response to the criticism that President Yoon is employing a strategy to delay the trial, Yoon's side claimed that "the Constitutional Court is rushing too much" and argued that they need time to prepare for the impeachment trial process.

KBS News, Kim So-young.