South Korea’s suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol rejected a summons to appear for questioning on Sunday, the third time in two weeks he has defied investigators’ demands.
Investigators probing Yun had ordered him to appear for questioning at 10 a.m. (GMT 0100) on Sunday, but he rejected the demand.
Former prosecutor Yoon also did not attend the hearing called for last Wednesday and gave no explanation for his absence.
Following a short-lived martial law declaration that plunged the country into its worst political crisis in decades, the conservative leader was removed from his duties by parliament on 14 December.
Yoon faces impeachment and criminal charges of rebellion, which could result in life in prison or even the death penalty, in a drama that has shocked democratic South Korea’s allies around the world.
“President Yoon Suk Yeol did not appear at the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) for high-ranking officials at 10 a.m. today,” the office said in a statement.
“The Joint Investigation Headquarters will review and decide on future measures,” it said.
The CIO is expected to decide in the coming days whether to issue a fourth summons or ask the court to issue an arrest warrant to compel Yoon to appear for questioning.
He is being investigated by a joint team of prosecutors as well as police, defense ministry and anti-corruption officials, while the Constitutional Court deliberates on an impeachment motion passed by parliament.
If it is upheld by the court, which is required to render its decision within six months of impeachment, a by-election must be held within 60 days of the court’s decision.
Former President Park Geun-hye was impeached under similar circumstances, but was investigated only after she was removed from power by the Constitutional Court.
The 10-page prosecutors’ report, seen by AFP, said Yoon Suk Yeol authorized the military to fire their weapons if necessary to force his way into parliament during his failed attempt to impose martial law.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
