Prosecution seeks detention extension

[Anchor]

The prosecution has requested the court to extend President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention period until the 6th of next month.

There is also a possibility that the prosecution will attempt to conduct a face-to-face investigation with President Yoon starting tomorrow (1.25).

It is uncertain whether President Yoon will respond to the investigation.

Reporter Kim Tae-hoon reports.

[Report]

The prosecution's special investigation team on the emergency martial law has requested the court to extend President Yoon's detention period until the 6th of next month.

The extension request was made yesterday (1.23) to the Seoul Central District Court.

Initially, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) had applied for a detention warrant at the Seoul Western District Court, which has jurisdiction over President Yoon's residence, but the prosecution has reportedly determined that the jurisdiction should be the Seoul Central District Court.

They seem to consider that most of the individuals involved in the case, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who are facing charges of insurrection, are being tried at the Seoul Central District Court.

If the extension of the detention period is accepted, the prosecution will be able to investigate President Yoon while he is in custody for about two weeks.

The prosecution team plans to continue their investigation, including reviewing records and interviewing witnesses, even during the Lunar New Year holiday, and there is a possibility that a face-to-face investigation of President Yoon could take place as early as this weekend.

The prosecution is reportedly considering an on-site investigation at the detention center in light of precedents involving investigations of past presidents.

President Yoon has already firmly rejected the investigation by the CIO, so it remains uncertain whether the investigation will proceed.

President Yoon's side has also expressed opposition to the prosecution's request for an extension of the detention period, stating that it "acknowledges the illegal investigation by the CIO."

However, if the detention period is extended, there are also predictions that President Yoon may cooperate with the prosecution's investigation to some extent.

[Yoon Gap-geun/President Yoon's lawyer: "We have expressed our opinion, and we will talk later. (Did you come to coordinate schedules?) No, that's not it."]

As the prosecution holds the right to indict President Yoon, there are analyses suggesting that refusing to cooperate with the investigation until the end could work against him.

KBS News, Kim Tae-hoon.