Live from Seoul Detention Center: CIO withdraws from forced questioning

Meanwhile, investigators' efforts to question Yoon continue having so far failed due to Yoon's persistent refusal to cooperate.

We connect live with our Moon Hye-ryeon standing by at the Seoul Detention Center where he's being detained.

Hye-ryeon, last night, investigators returned to their office empty-handed after failing to bring Yoon in for questioning by force.

Tell us more.

Good morning, Dami – as you said, the CIO attempted to forcibly bring President Yoon in for questioning here at the Seoul Detention Center yesterday, but withdrew late last night after being met with resistance.

In a statement to the press, the CIO announced that their investigators stopped their attempts at around 9 PM last night in accordance with human rights protection regulations as Yoon refused to cooperate.

Yoon has refused all interrogation requests since he was arrested last Wednesday – ignoring summonses last Thursday and Friday and continuing to resist even after his formal detention on Sunday.

The CIO notified him twice of scheduled interrogations – on Sunday and on Monday – but he did not comply.

As Yoon's initial detention period is set to expire on January 28th, the CIO has deemed a face-to-face investigation urgent and therefore attempted forced questioning.

They have said that they will continue criminal procedures, including additional attempts at forced interrogation – but it is not yet clear when or how this will happen.

Citing legal precedents and Supreme Court rulings, the agency asserted that a suspect could be forcibly brought to the interrogation room, but President Yoon's legal team criticized the CIO's action saying that Yoon had been meeting with the attorneys when CIO officials attempted to "unlawfully" force an interrogation.

And on that note of President Yoon's legal team – what's their reasoning for President Yoon's such defiant manner?

Well, Dami, in addition to the CIO's attempt to forcibly bring Yoon in for questioning, Yoon's legal team has strongly criticized the CIO for prohibiting visits to the detained president for anyone other than his legal representatives.

They argue that restricting family meetings unrelated to the charges of insurrection is a "vindictive" act rather than a legitimate investigative measure, and have demanded the immediate revocation of such a decision.

The CIO has cited concerns over potential evidence tampering as a reason for imposing these restrictions, but Yoon's attorney said that these allegations are "baseless and unjust", while pointing to the impeachments of former Presidents Roh Moon-hyun and Park Geun-hye who were still allowed external communication and national briefings to ensure smooth governance.

Yoon's attorneys argued that this set a precedent, and that Yoon must remain fully informed of the country's ongoing developments.

And let's turn our attention to Yoon's supporters and the Sunday riots that led to some serious damage at the Seoul Western District Court building.

How are investigations unfolding?

That's right, so the police have arrested a total of 90 individuals in connection with the riots that happened early Sunday morning at the Seoul Western District Court.

The detainees range in age from in their teens to their seventies, with over half in their twenties and thirties.

Police have applied for arrest warrants for 66 individuals and are continuing to analyze mobile phone data, video evidence, and footage from YouTube channels collected during the arrest.

Authorities expect the number of individuals formally charged to increase as the investigation unfolds.

The police have also intensified their investigation into whether there was an organized effort behind the riot, deploying the Criminal Mobilization Unit to pursue the case further.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Western District Court has issued arrest warrants for two of five individuals accused of assaulting police officers near the court on Saturday the day before the riot.

That's all I have for now, but I'll be back in a later newscast with more updates.

Back to you, Dami.

That was our Moon Hye-ryeon reporting live from the Seoul Detention Center.