The National Office of Investigation’s (NOI) emergency martial law special investigation unit attempted to raid the Yongsan presidential office on Wednesday but has been facing difficulties due to resistance from the office, not being able to enter the compound as of 3:45 p.m.
The attempted raid of the presidential office and subsequent refusal to cooperate is the first since the 2017 attempt by a special prosecutors’ team to raid the Blue House to investigate then-president Park Geun-hye.
The NOI special unit consisting of 60 personnel attempted to raid the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Wednesday at 11:36 a.m. but had been in a deadlock in front of the gates of the compound due to the presidential office refusing to cooperate.
Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Act prohibit raids without the consent of the person in charge of a location that deals with military or official secrets.
Police are currently considering other methods of obtaining data such as voluntary submission.
Police previously requested a raid warrant, naming President Yoon Suk Yeol as an insurrection suspect.
The targets for the raid include the presidential office, the secretariat, the Cabinet meeting room, and the presidential security service. Yoon is believed to be staying at the official residence, but the presidential residence was not included in the list of targets as of Wednesday.
Police also utilized equipment to secure the entry and exit records of the members who attended the Cabinet meeting after martial law was declared on Dec. 3.
“The Cabinet minutes and the Cabinet member arrangement map are included in the raid target,” said a police official.
As police began the raid, the presidential security service staff stood in front of the presidential office gates holding barricades and controlling the area.
Security personnel were strengthened more than usual at the three main entrances to the presidential office and the nearby roads, with personnel deployed in pairs of two to six people, and barricades installed to strengthen security in the surrounding area.
@Korea JoongAng Daily
