Yoon, Kim refuse to answer lawmakers' questions at detention centers

A parliamentary effort led by the main opposition party to question President Yoon Suk Yeol and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun at their respective detention centers today failed to bear fruit.

Kim Jung-sil reports.

Both President Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun refused to cooperate with the National Assembly's committee, which visited the detention centers holding them to conduct questioning.

On Wednesday afternoon, lawmakers attempted to question Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center, where he is being held.

However, the president refused to meet with them, following the same pattern of refusing to attend previous hearings by the same committee.

Earlier in the day, the committee visited the Seoul Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul to question former Defense Minister Kim.

However, he also declined to participate, citing a "busy schedule" and a need to meet with his legal team.

"We waited, but he didn't show up. They claim he's meeting with his legal team, but I believe it's just an excuse to avoid questioning."

As a result, the committee has reported Kim for contempt of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, lawmakers from the ruling party boycotted the questioning, opposing the selection of President Yoon as a witness.

In a separate development, the National Police Agency's Special Investigation Division announced Wednesday that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was summoned the day before for questioning in connection with insurrection charges. This marks the second round of questioning for Han, with the first having taken place in December.

The police are investigating his role in the decision to declare emergency martial law, specifically focusing on whether proper legal procedures were followed.

The Prime Minister has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that no constitutional violations occurred during the Cabinet meeting prior to the martial law declaration.

Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.