Special counsel fast-tracks Yoon insurrection probe

The special counsel team investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s alleged insurrection — led by Cho Eun-suk — has launched its probe ahead of schedule, outpacing two other independent counsel teams.

According to the special counsel probe team, assistant special prosecutor Park Eok-su — a former chief prosecutor at the Gunsan branch of the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office — will attend Yoon’s eighth criminal trial hearing on Monday.

The ongoing criminal case against Yoon was transferred to the special prosecutor on June 19.

Assistant special prosecutor Kim Hyung-soo is set to attend the hearing to review the legality of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun’s detention.

The special counsel probe team indicted the former defense chief on additional charges of obstructing public duties and suborning the destruction of evidence, and requested a new arrest warrant ahead of his scheduled release.

Kim, who has been detained since December last year, was expected to be freed after his six-month detention period ends on June 26.

The former defense minister asked the court to suspend the execution of his indictment, insisting that the indictment was not within the scope of the special counsel’s duties.

But the Seoul High Court dismissed Kim’s request on Sunday.

Cho launched the investigation just six days after being appointed special prosecutor on June 18.

Cho was granted a 20-day preparation period until June 30 to appoint assistant prosecutors, assemble a team of temporarily assigned prosecutors, government officials and investigators, and set up an office.

The faster launch puts Cho's team ahead of the two other special counsel probes — one investigating allegations against former first lady Kim Keon Hee, and the other looking into Yoon’s alleged interference in the investigation of a Marine's death.

As of Sunday, both of the other teams were still in the final stages of transferring cases and forming teams.

This marked the first of the three special prosecutor probes to begin investigating allegations against Yoon and his wife, as well as the death of a Marine during his administration.

The special prosecutor is also reportedly considering seeking another arrest warrant for former president Yoon, who was released on March 9 after 52 days in detention, in connection with additional criminal charges.

Police had previously issued three consecutive summonses for Yoon to appear for questioning over allegations related to his attempted imposition of martial law. His repeated refusals to appear prompted investigators to consider requesting an arrest warrant to take him into custody.

South Korean police typically pursue an arrest warrant to compel a suspect to appear for an in-person investigation once three consecutive summons have gone unheeded.

However, since the police recently had to transfer the case to the independent special counsel, Cho has assumed decision-making authority over the matter.

Though the special counsel is yet to decide whether to request an arrest warrant, the National Office of Investigation, under the National Police Agency, reportedly said that Cho and the police will reach a conclusion by the end of this week.

The special counsel team is set to investigate Yoon’s insurrection case with some 200 investigative personnel within 170 days, which is expected to continue until the end of the year.