Lawyer Calls Yoon's Claim Of Ordering Paspampres To Use Weapons As "False News"

JAKARTA - The South Korean President's lawyer who was impeached by Yoon Suk-yeol dismissed claims that the president's security forces ordered the use of weapons.

Lawyer Yoon Kap-keun, dismissed claims by lawmakers from the opposition party as "false news".

"The president only emphasized the proper implementation of tasks in accordance with standard security manuals, and he has never issued such an order," the lawyer said.

Earlier, Korean Democratic Party (DPK) politician Youn Kun-young on Monday claimed President Yoon ordered security personnel to use weapons against investigators seeking to carry out his detention warrant regarding an investigation into a military emergency announcement made last month, based on reports he received from members of the staff of the Presidential Security Service (PSS).

"PSS staff have been trained manually, following the same principles for decades in all governments, and they have carried out their responsibilities as they should," explained lawyer Yoon.

The claim of order to use weapons emerged amid weeks of deadlock between PSS and a joint investigation team seeking to carry out a detention warrant.

Yoon is known to remain at his residence in Hannam-dong, downtown Seoul, which is heavily guarded by hundreds of PSS members.

"There is continuous information, Yoon urges his bodyguards to use weapons," Youn told a news conference at the National Assembly.

According to the lawmaker, Yoon had lunch with six senior PSS officials on Sunday and told them to prevent police officers from approaching his residence with a knife, if firearms are not allowed.

The parliamentarian's claim follows a similar report by a local newspaper, which said Yoon had a separate dinner with PSS officials on Saturday, ordering them to consider the use of force if investigators seek to implement the warrant.

Amid the ongoing confrontation, the joint investigative team announced Monday that it had sent a letter to PSS asking for cooperation in detaining the president and warning of legal consequences if it refused to comply.

The letter warned that security personnel obstructing the implementation of the warrant could face criminal charges, potential loss of their status as civil servants, and restrictions on re-recruitment and pension allowances.

Meanwhile, Park Chong-jun, a former PSS commander who resigned on Friday, underwent a police investigation for the third time on Monday on charges of obstructing official duties, as he led efforts to obstruct detention efforts by investigators on January 3.

Several other senior PSS officials refused to attend the police investigation and the investigative team planned to file a detention warrant against them.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered the police and PSS to "ensure orderly law enforcement and the safety of workers-level officials."

"All law enforcement actions must be carried out in a peaceful and controlled manner. Under no circumstances should no violence be carried out by the institutions involved," Choi said in a press release.

PSS increased security at Yoon's residence by installing barbed wire, barricades, and buses to block access to the compound.