Former South Korean President Lies On The Floor Of A Prisoner's Cell, Refuses To Be Examined

Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol/PHOTO via Instagram @sukyeol.yoon

JAKARTA - Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol chose to lie on the floor of the detention cell and refused to be questioned.

Yoon was removed from office in April by the Constitutional Court for his failed attempts last year to impose a military emergency and is now being investigated by a special prosecution team formed under new President Lee Jae Myung.

Prosecutors are investigating allegations of abuse of influence linked to Yoon and his wife, who have tried to force him to comply with arrest warrants and attend voluntary examinations.

"But the suspect stubbornly refused to do so, lying on the floor, not wearing a prison uniform," special prosecutor Oh Jung-hee said at a news conference.

Investigators will try again to bring him in, even if they have to use violence.

Yoon only wore underwear and underwear when the prosecutor came to his cell, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a special prosecutor.

Yu Jeong-hwa, one of Yoon's lawyers, told Reuters his actions showed the clothes he wore in a narrow room with a temperature of nearly 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) was a public insult to his dignity and showed how the state violated the human rights of prisoners.

The former president was put back in isolation cells at the Seoul Detention Center in July. Meanwhile, prosecutors investigating the brief implementation of martial law in December sought additional charges against him.

Yoon has been tried on charges of rebellion, charges punishable by death or life imprisonment.

He also faces a series of other investigations led by special prosecutors, including one scandal-related investigation involving his wife, former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, in which the couple allegedly had inappropriate influence in elections.

Yoon denies making any mistakes and his lawyers accuse prosecutors of politically motivated hunting.

The former president has repeatedly rejected the prosecutor's request to attend the examination, citing health problems.

Referring to Yoon's position as a former attorney general, Oh, a special prosecution spokesman, said the case was being closely investigated by the public.

"The suspect consistently emphasized the importance of law, principles, justice, and common sense, and through this case, people observed whether the law applies equally to everyone," said Oh.

Separately, investigators asked Yoon's wife, Kim, who also denied wrongdoing, to attend the examination on August 6. Kim's lawyer said his client would cooperate in the investigation.