Live from Seoul Detention Center: Forced summons attempt, Presidential Office raid by CIO fail again

Thank you for joining us, I'm Yoon Jung-min.

We start at the Seoul Detention Center where President Yoon Suk Yeol continues to refuse to take part in questioning sessions led by anti-corruption investigators.

We have our Lee Soo-jin standing by.

Soo-jin, I understand a third attempt was made to take him in by investigators to no end.

Sure,.. the CIO had moved forward with another forced summons today that was, like you mentioned, the third such attempt.

But the CIO announced around earlier this evening that this attempt was also unsuccessful.

A CIO vehicle was spotted passing through the main gate of the Seoul Detention Center at 10:20 AM today.

The CIO had considered two options forcibly transferring Yoon to the CIO interrogation room at the Government Complex in Gwacheon, or carrying out on-site interviews in an investigation room at the detention center.

But Yoon, refused to comply with either, as he continued to sit in consultations with his lawyers.

The agency is continuously making these efforts as there isn't much time before the CIO has to hand Yoon's case over to prosecutors before the detention period expires on the 28th.

Separately, I hear anti-corruption officials also launched a search and seize operation today.

Right, the CIO began a search and seizure operation this morning, at the Presidential Office and Yoon's residence.

But this operation, also ended unsuccessfully, at both locations.

The agency had attempted to secure encrypted phone records, computers, as well as meeting minutes.

Yoon is currently facing allegations of using an encrypted phone to order top police and military officials to command troops to remove lawmakers from the National Assembly during his brief imposition of martial law.

But the search and seize operations once again faced challenges from the Presidential Security Service, which had blocked previous such attempts.

The CIO announced that the Presidential Security Service decided to not approve the execution of the search warrants for the Presidential Office at around 3 PM.

And the CIO suspended the execution of the warrant at the President's residence at around 4:50 PM.

And what has been the response from the President's side?

Yoon's lawyers have steadfastly maintained their stance of refusing to comply with the CIO investigation, saying that as they plan to attend all the impeachment hearings at the Constitution Court, including the one that is taking place tomorrow, they need time to prepare.

His team also said that they have said all they needed to say at the hearings and called these attempts a "violation of human rights."

Here's what an expert said on the refusal to comply with CIO investigations.

"I believe President Yoon is avoiding CIO investigations for three reasons: to rally his supporters, to delay the investigation process, and to delay the impeachment trial."

And that's all I have.

Back to you, Jung-min.