CIO investigation canceled again

[Anchor]

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) visited the Seoul Detention Center yesterday (1.21) to forcibly take President Yoon for interrogation after he completed his impeachment trial arguments at the Consitutional Court.

However, instead of returning to the Seoul Detention Center, President Yoon went to the Armed Force Seoul Center District Hospital.

The CIO, which claimed it was unaware of Yoon's hospital visit plan, ended up playing hide-and-seek with President Yoon, and their attempt to forcibly detain him failed.

Today (1.22), the CIO made another attempt to forcibly detain him, even leaving open the possibility of an on-site investigation, but to no avail.

It has already been a month since the CIO took over the case involving President Yoon, and there are concerns that they may end up handing the case over to the prosecution without conducting a proper investigation except for the day of the arrest.

This is a report by reporter Choi Yoo-kyung.

[Report]

The day after President Yoon Suk Yeol's appearance at the Constitutional Court.

CIO Director Oh Dong-woon voluntarily answered questions on his way to work and announced a third attempt at forced detention.

[Oh Dong-woon/CIO Director: "Since he is not responding to the summons, we are inevitably proceeding with forced detention. We will do our best to detain him as soon as possible today."]

However, by the afternoon, news came that the investigation had again failed.

Although an investigation room was prepared at the detention center, the investigation was canceled due to President Yoon's refusal.

Attempts to conduct a search also yielded no results.

The CIO attempted to secure the server of the secure mobile phone used by President Yoon by visiting the presidential office and the presidential residence, but they were blocked by the security service personnel and had to retreat.

With repeated failures in face-to-face investigations and evidence collection, there are criticisms that this is merely a "showcase" investigation, but the problem is that the CIO does not have much time left.

The CIO, which does not have the authority to indict the president, must soon hand the case back to the prosecution.

The first detention period for President Yoon, meaning the period during which the CIO can hold the case, is expected to be until January 28th, and they have stated that they will work to hand over the case before then.

The prosecution, noting that there has been no progress in the investigation by the CIO, is known to be planning to receive the case within this week.

Once the prosecution receives the case, they plan to investigate President Yoon even during the Lunar New Year holiday.

However, legal circles believe that President Yoon, who intends to focus on the impeachment trial rather than the investigation, is unlikely to respond to the prosecution's inquiry.

Tomorrow (1.23), the fourth hearing in the impeachment trial against President Yoon will take plce, and he has stated that he will attend again following the third argument.

This is KBS News, Choi Yoo-kyung.