South Korea: Special counsel rejects ex-Prez Yoon's request to postpone martial law questioning

Seoul, June 30 (IANS) Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol asked again Monday that a special counsel's second round of questioning over his martial law bid be postponed to later in the week, but prosecutors rejected his request.

Yoon asked the team of Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk to postpone the session from Tuesday to Thursday or later and to consult with his lawyers prior to deciding on the date, the lawyers said in a notice to the press.

An official with the special counsel said later that Yoon's request will not be accepted, and that the team would immediately reschedule the date and time for questioning this week if Yoon fails to appear on Tuesday as requested.

The former President appeared at Cho's office on Saturday and underwent the first round of questioning by the special counsel over charges related to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December, Yonhap news agency reported.

The special counsel's team then ordered a second appearance on Monday, but Yoon's lawyers requested it be postponed to Thursday or later, citing his health and a scheduled hearing for his criminal trial on insurrection charges.

Partially accepting the request, the special counsel postponed the date to Tuesday. On Monday, Yoon had again requested a delay.

"The special counsel's perception that the investigative authority can unilaterally decide the schedule runs counter to the principles of a voluntary investigation and the basic spirit of the Criminal Procedure Code," the lawyers said.

The special counsel team has said appearance dates are a matter to be decided by the investigative authority and suggested it will seek a warrant to detain Yoon in the event he continues to defy its orders.

Earlier on Sunday, 29th June, special prosecutors questioned Yoon for about five hours during the marathon session, which was partially suspended due to objections from Yoon's lawyers over the presence of a police investigator whom they claimed was unfit to question the former president.

Yoon was questioned about a Cabinet meeting that took place just before his martial law declaration, his alleged attempt to obstruct the National Assembly from passing a resolution to lift martial law, and treason charges.

Yoon's lawyers told reporters after the session that the former president responded to the questions to the best of his knowledge.

--IANS

int/bpd/as