President security service chief refuses second summons

Park Jong-joon, chief of the Presidential Security Service, defied a second summons issued by the National Police Agency's special investigation team to present himself last Thursday. Park faces charges of obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol, related to the December 3 emergency martial law declaration. The police are reportedly contemplating a strategy to indict all deputy chiefs and higher-ranking officials involved in "preventing the arrest at the presidential residence." This move is seen as an effort to exert pressure on the Presidential Security Service ahead of a second attempt to execute the arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The police have now issued a third summons, demanding Park appear by Friday and are considering filing an arrest warrant if he continues to refuse compliance. The police are also preparing to escalate actions against other senior officials in the Presidential Security Service. Deputy Director Kim Seong-hoon, who has also ignored previous summonses, is under review for a potential arrest request if he remains uncooperative.

Furthermore, the police are considering indicting all senior officials above the department head level who were involved in blocking the execution of the arrest warrant for President Yoon by preventing access to his official residence. This move appears to be part of a broader strategy to dismantle the Presidential Security Service’s obstruction of the arrest warrant’s execution. By holding senior security officials accountable, the police aim to clear the way for carrying out the unprecedented warrant against a sitting president.


최원영 기자 o0@donga.com