Police probe Yoon's gun remark

[Anchor]

The police have secured testimony that President Yoon asked security officials a few days before his arrest whether firearms could be used.

The President's side has completely denied this as false.

This is a report by Jeong Hae-joo.

[Report]

The police believe that President Yoon Suk Yeol's remark was made on Jan. 10.

They have obtained a statement from a security official that President Yoon asked the head of the security office, "Can we not shoot?"

In response, Deputy Chief Kim Seong-hoon reportedly replied, "Yes, understood," according to the police.

This is a statement that contradicts the security office's claim that there were no orders to use weapons.

[Kim Seong-hoon/Deputy Chief of the Presidential Security Service/Jan. 17: "(During the process of preventing the execution of the warrant) we did not carry any additional weapons. The president said that to block so many police officers with a small number of people, there would be no choice but to resort to armed conflict, and that must never happen..."]

The President's side denied that there was any instruction to consider the use of firearms.

They also refuted allegations that Chief of Security Lee Kwang-woo instructed security staff to move submachine guns and live ammunition into the residence.

They explained, "It was only to strengthen security by placing two firearms from the outer security post into the internal post due to a tip-off that protesters would illegally invade the residence."

Meanwhile, police have reportedly uncovered evidence suggesting that Deputy Chief Kim instructed the security office’s encrypted phone server administrator to delete records. However, Kim has denied issuing such an order.

This is KBS News, Jeong Hae-joo.