Arrested Yoon Suk-yeol, Refused to Make a Statement but Ordered a Meal Menu.
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Yoon Suk-yeol Arrested.
- Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested on January 15 at 10:33 AM. This is 43 days after the declaration of martial law on December 3 last year.
- This is the first time a sitting president has been arrested in constitutional history.
- He was questioned by the High-Level Public Officials Crimes Investigation Unit (CIO) for 10 hours and 40 minutes and was transferred to Seoul Detention Center at 9:40 PM.
- He will return to the CIO this morning and continue to be questioned.
Today's Morning Newspaper Front Page.
- Kyunghyang Shinmun's front-page headline reads "Yoon Suk-yeol, Leader of Rebellion, Arrested... No Exceptions Before the Law."
- Korea Ilbo emphasized the fact that "he did not apologize and refused to make a statement."
- Other newspapers' headlines emphasize the fact that this is the first time in constitutional history.
- Chosun Ilbo covered Yoon Suk-yeol's statement "Illegal upon illegal upon illegal, all law has collapsed" as a lower-page story.
Yoon Suk Yeol Arrest Timeline
- 4:28 PM, Arrival near the Public Security Office.
- 7:32 PM, Overcame the first security line by climbing over a barricade.
- 7:47 PM, Bypassed the second security line by maneuvering around the barricade.
- 8:05 PM, Arrived at the third security line.
- 8:24 PM, The gate opened and escort vehicles entered.
- 10:33 PM, Arrest warrant executed and transported to the Public Security Office.
- 10:53 PM, Arrived at the Public Security Office.
- 9:40 PM, Investigation concluded and transferred to Seoul Detention Center.
“Alright, Let’s Go,” The Situation at the Time of Arrest
- Security personnel showed little resistance. There were already internal dissent and a directive that "those who want to leave can do so."
- A bus barricade was in place, but the key was inserted, and police drove it away. They were reportedly "confused" by the lack of resistance.
- Kim Sung-hoon (Deputy Chief of Security) and Lee Kwang-woo (Chief of Security Headquarters) agreed to voluntarily surrender to the police. Yoon Suk Yeol reportedly requested a delay in the arrest.
- When the defense line collapsed, Yoon Suk Yeol also gave up. After the prosecutors explained the warrant contents, he said "Alright, let's go." He initially expressed his intention to voluntarily surrender and two hours passed before they moved in escort vehicles.
“It’s Easier This Way.”
- Yoon Suk Yeol reportedly said this to People Power Party lawmakers right before his arrest.
- "The country is full of pro-North leftists, and we are in a crisis. What can I do for another two and a half years?" He emphasized that "revealing the existence of pro-North leftists to the people" was necessary for the sake of the nation.
- Before leaving the office, he visited Kim Kun-hee in another room. People Power Party lawmakers who met Kim Kun-hee said her "face looked terrible."
- Rep. Lee Young (former People Power Party lawmaker) burst into tears. Yoon Suk Yeol reportedly made sandwiches for breakfast, but no one ate them.
Refused to Make a Statement, Ate His Meal
- He also refused to review and sign the investigation record. He reportedly didn't utter a single word even when asked for his name and address.
The Presidential Security Service (PSS) refers to the current president as "Mr. President."
Lunch was a lunchbox, and dinner was doenjang jjigae. He reportedly chose the menu himself.
This morning's breakfast at Seoul Detention Center consisted of cereal, boiled eggs, nuts, and milk.
Yoon Seok-yeol's legal team requested a warrant for his arrest. They continue to argue that the PSS has no investigative authority.
What happens now?
It is highly likely that the PSS will request an arrest warrant. If the warrant is issued, the PSS and the prosecution will conduct investigations for 10 days each, and the prosecution will indict Yoon within 20 days. The approximate deadline for the detention investigation is around March 3rd or 4th.
The arrest warrant detention period is 48 hours, but if an arrest warrant is requested, he will remain in the detention center until a decision is made on whether to detain him after a substantive review of the warrant.
Kim Yong-hyun (former Minister of National Defense), Yeoin-hyung (former commander of the Counter Intelligence Corps), Park An-soo (former martial law commander), and Kwak Jong-geun (former special warfare commander) have all been detained, so it is highly unlikely that Yoon Seok-yeol will escape detention.
Time is running out. The Constitutional Court has already scheduled five hearing dates by February 4th. A conclusion may be reached as early as February.
If the impeachment motion is cited by the Constitutional Court, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.
Lying until the last moment.
In a video message, he claimed that "the law has completely collapsed."
"A warrant was issued to an agency without investigative authority, and a court without warrant review authority issued arrest warrants and search warrants."
"I decided to appear at the PSS to prevent a disgraceful bloodshed. Appearing at the PSS does not mean I acknowledge their investigation."
Yoon Seok-yeol has been officially arrested, even though he appeared voluntarily.
"Illegality of illegality of illegality" is not worth discussing. The investigation, warrant, and arrest were all legal.
Yoon Seok-yeol's crimes.
Yoon Seok-yeol's charges are clear.
First, the deployment of emergency martial law violated the requirements and procedures. It was illegal.
Second, obstructing the National Assembly's decision is considered a riot. He ordered troops to break down doors with guns, drag people out, and there are reports that he attempted to detain key political figures.
Third, suspicions need to be clarified about whether he provoked North Korea's provocations. He also directed the targeting of the origin of propaganda balloons and sent unmanned aerial vehicles to Pyongyang.
International media reaction.
Many media outlets are covering the news of Yoon Seok-yeol's arrest as their top online story.
The BBC called it a "historic moment" but also noted that "Korean society is still gripped by uncertainty." They also assessed that "Yoon Seok-yeol misread the political situation."
The Washington Post pointed out that "the events of December 3rd triggered the worst political crisis in South Korea in decades."
The New York Times predicted that "a Constitutional Court decision could come as early as February."
The Guardian commented that "Yoon Seok-yeol's deployment of troops to the National Assembly shook South Korea's vibrant democracy and brought back the dark days of military rule."
The White House spokesperson issued a statement, saying: "We reaffirm our shared commitment to the rule of law. We appreciate all the efforts made by Korea and its people to act in accordance with the Constitution."
Now it's the PSS and prosecution's turn.
They can detain him for up to 48 hours after his arrest, so they are likely to request an arrest warrant before tomorrow morning. If the warrant is issued after a substantive review, he could be detained by tomorrow evening or early the next morning. The PSS and prosecution will then conduct investigations for 20 days.
He will face trial while in detention for two months, and can be extended twice for two months each. It is highly likely that a first instance judgment will be reached within six months.
Of course, the impeachment trial results will also come out before then.
Kim Kun-hee stayed at the presidential residence.
Security and guards are also maintained.
If the Constitutional Court decides to impeach him, she will have to leave the residence, but security and guards will be maintained for five years after his resignation.
Can the presidential residence still be used?
There are criticisms that the residence's structure and security personnel routes have been exposed, making it unsuitable for use as a security facility.
The same applies to Cheong Wa Dae. It has lost its function as a security and protection facility.
“There is too much evidence of election fraud.”
- He released a handwritten letter but didn't present any evidence of election fraud.
- Yoon Tae-gon (director of the political analysis office at The Morea) pointed out that "while it may be able to rally his strong support base, it could also lead to conservatives distancing themselves from Yoon Seok-yeol."
“Kim Yong-hyun incorrectly cited the law.”
- Yoon Seok-yeol's legal team argued this in their impeachment trial response. They said he used a quote from the military dictatorship era verbatim.
- They claimed that the soldiers breaking the National Assembly windows and entering was "to prevent safety accidents or bloodshed that could occur due to excited crowds."
- They argued that "even if there were mistakes or errors in judgment by the president, it cannot be a reason for impeachment."
Han Deok-soo's regret? Tail cutting?
- He appeared at the National Assembly's state affairs investigation and said, "The December 3rd emergency martial law was not deliberated by the State Council" and "there were procedural flaws."
- There was an opinion that signatures should be obtained after the State Council meeting, but everyone opposed it.
- He also said, "All citizens must abide by the law."
Will Samsung survive if it reduces working hours to 52 per week?
- Both ruling and opposition parties agree on the semiconductor support law. The only remaining issue is the 52-hour workweek.
- Im Ji-sun (Kyunghyang Shinmun reporter) pointed out that "if HBM (high bandwidth memory) development was withdrawn and foundry wasn't spun off, it was all due to the leader's decision" and "it wasn't a result of adhering to the 52-hour workweek."
- The appellate court ruling on Lee Jae-yong (Samsung Electronics chairman)'s illegal succession case will be announced on March 3rd.
North Korea was called a 'nuclear power'.
- Lloyd Austin, the nominee for US Secretary of Defense, said that "North Korea's status as a nuclear power poses a threat to the stability of not only the Korean Peninsula but also the world."
- John Kirby (White House National Security Advisor) drew a line by saying, "We have not reached the stage of recognizing North Korea's nuclear possession."
- JoongAng Ilbo criticized it as "a disastrous statement by an amateur nominee for Secretary of Defense."
- The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated its position that "North Korea's denuclearization is a principle consistently upheld by the international community, and North Korea can never be recognized as a nuclear power."
Lee Jae-myung's election law appeal also speeds up.
- The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 6-2 decided not to allocate any other cases by March 12th. This means they will focus on the case.
- The first instance court found most of the charges guilty and sentenced him to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. If the sentence is upheld by the Supreme Court, his right to run for office will be restricted for ten years.
“'Lee Jae-myung shouldn't be president' is not a valid argument.”
- Jeong Gyu-jae (former editorial writer for the Korea Economic Daily), a conservative commentator, pointed out that "conservatives are walking down a path of historical regression" and "they must take responsibility for creating a monster like Yoon Seok-yeol."
- He criticized it by saying, "It's ridiculous to convict the loser (Lee Jae-myung) while leaving the winner (Yoon Seok-yeol), who won through lies, untouched."
“It would be better if both were gone.”
- This is a column revealing the mental breakdown of JoongAng Ilbo.
- If Lee Jae-myung wins, the current trial against him will be suspended. Yang Sang-hoon (chief editor of JoongAng Ilbo) pointed out that "legal legitimacy disputes and protests could continue throughout his term" and "it is reasonable to worry if there will ever be peace in this country."
Is constitutional amendment discussion possible?
- The People Power Party is rushing. They plan to release a draft before the Lunar New Year holiday.
- There's also a proposal to hold both general and presidential elections in 2028, assuming the next president's term is shortened to three years. Decentralized presidential system and four-year term limit are being discussed.
- JoongAng Ilbo pointed out that "constitutional amendment requires more than 108 votes, which is the entire ruling party, even for introduction."
- With the Democratic Party being lukewarm and the possibility of an early presidential election, it's unlikely that constitutional amendment discussions will gain momentum.
Nutrition Group's Myanmar Refugee Experiment.
- As of the end of last year, the population had decreased to 15,328 people. It continued to decrease from 77,190 in 1973 to 20,000 in 2005. Only 25 babies were born last year.
- Recently, they have been conducting a pilot project to settle about 40 Myanmar refugee families.
- The childbirth allowance has also been increased, with the first child receiving 200,000 won per month for three years, the second child 300,000 won, and the third child 400,000 won.
3-minute medical examination disappears.
- They plan to introduce a bundled fee system that includes counseling, education, and management in the medical fee.
- For example, if a 70-year-old patient with hypertension receives treatment, the doctor can only diagnose and prescribe medication. With the introduction of the bundled fee system, they will be able to spend more time on counseling and education. They are also considering raising the fee for high-risk groups.
Civil War Shock, Sharp Decline in Employment.
- The decrease in employment is the first in three years and ten months since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- With domestic demand slumping and the civil war situation overlapping, the labor market has frozen.
- The annual number of employed persons increased to 28.58 million, an increase of only 160,000. This is half the level of 330,000 in 2023 and did not even reach the government's target of 230,000.
Youth Unemployment Rate Rises to 6%.
- The overall unemployment rate is 3.8%.
- While the employment rate is 61%, the youth employment rate is only 44%.
AI Raises Cattle.
- There's a company called FarmsPlan that monitors livestock with CCTV and adjusts feed and antibiotics. The mortality rate has been reduced by 67%, productivity increased by 30%, and the cost of pharmaceuticals has been reduced by 65%.
- There's also a necklace called Farmer's Hands that predicts diseases.
- There's also IoT technology called WellCare CowCare, which collects biometric data by staying in the cow's stomach in capsule form.
Shameless and Cowardly to the End.
- This is the assessment of Kim Kwang-ho, editorial writer at Kyunghyang Shinmun. Yoon Suk-yeol changed his words to "attend" only after turning his back on the security guards.
- Park Hyun, editorial writer at Hankyoreh, pointed out that "it was brazen beyond belief."
- Lee Jae-woong, editorial director of Nocut News, assessed that "Yoon Suk-yeol had no honor to keep."
- There is a saying that honor is conscience manifested outwardly and conscience is honor dwelling within. Lee Jae-woong emphasized that "Yoon Suk-yeol's dishonor came from the lack of inner virtue."
A Case to Be Recorded in World Democratic History.
- This is a part of Hankyoreh's editorial today. "It realized the constitutional principle of equality before the law and showed the power of a rule of law state."
- The Korea Daily said in its editorial, "The fact that a sitting head of state can be forcibly brought to an investigative agency without any conflict shows that the rule of law in South Korea is working properly."
'Brain Rot' Prevention.
- This is the advice of Seo Young-a (Dong-A Ilbo reporter): "You need to communicate with the world's common sense."
- The average YouTube viewing time per person in Korea is 73 minutes per day, four times the global average of 19 minutes.
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