Search warrant issued for President Yoon alongside arrest warrant

[Anchor]

Yesterday (12.31), a search warrant was issued along with the arrest warrant to confirm the whereabouts of President Yoon.

The court specified in the search warrant that its execution should not be obstructed due to military and official secrets.

This effectively blocked the legal grounds for the Presidental Security Office to prevent the execution of the search warrant, but President Yoon's side protested, calling it "illegal and invalid."

Reporter Gong Min-kyung reports.

[Report]

The joint investigation headquarters has attempted to conduct searches at the presidential office three times so far, all of which have failed.

This was because the Presidential Security Office blocked the attempts by citing Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

These articles state that places requiring military and official secrets cannot be searched without the approval of the responsible person.

However, it has been confirmed that the court included a clause in the search warrant issued along with the arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, stating that the application of these articles would be an exception.

This means that the Security Office has been completely blocked from using the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act to refuse the execution of the search warrant.

Nevertheless, President Yoon's side protested that it was "illegal and invalid."

President Yoon's legal team stated, "Nowhere in the Criminal Procedure Act is such authority granted to a judge," and demanded an investigation by the Supreme Court and disciplinary action against the judge who issued the warrant.

They also stated that such actions infringe upon the command authority of the armed forces and announced that they would additionally file a request for a dispute over authority with the Constitutional Court.

Yesterday, the Security Office of the presidential office stated regarding the execution of the warrant, "We will take security measures in accordance with legal procedures."

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials(CIO) sent a warning letter to the Security Office, stating that if they do not cooperate, they could face punishment.

[Oh Dong-woon/CIO Director: "We have sternly warned that this could be classified as abuse of authority and obstruction of special public duties."]

The CIO has requested support from the police, including a mobile unit, in preparation for the possibility of physical clashes during the execution of the warrant.

This is KBS News, Gong Min-kyung.