특검팀, 5시간 대치끝에 철수… 청와대 압수수색 불발
Turning to the ongoing probe into the power abuse scandal that led to the passage of an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye.
The independent counsel took the historic step of trying to raid the presidential office.
But according to our Hwang Hojun, things didn't go quite as planned.
After a five-hour standoff on Friday morning with staff at the Presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae,... the investigators ended up leaving empty-handed.
"The independent counsel acknowledged that the presidential office is a classified facility for military and security reasons, and targeted a minimal part of it for the search. It's a shame that Cheong Wa Dae rejected the search anyway."
This was the first time investigators had attempted to search the presidential office complex since parliament voted to impeach President Park in December over the influence-peddling and corruption scandal.
In refusing the search, the presidential office cited criminal law, which states that military facilities and other areas that handle classified information cannot be searched without approval from the person in charge of the facility.
Yet, the law also prohibits that person from refusing to grant such consent unless doing so would go against the national interest.
In a briefing this afternoon, the independent counsel's spokesperson, Lee Kyu-chul, pointed out that the statement of refusal submitted by officials at the presidential office did not state any reason why the search would jeopardize the interest of the nation.
Because the independent counsel has no means of overriding that refusal, the team could ask Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is also the acting president, to intervene and allow the search.
Another option being considered is the presidential office voluntarily submitting the documents needed by the team.
The current search warrant is set to expire on February 28th.
The independent counsel wants evidence corroborating the president's whereabouts on the day of the 2014 Sewol-ho ferry disaster -- also, evidence linked to bribery allegations... and how the president's confidante Choi Soon-sil was able to freely come and go from the top office.
"Regardless of whether the current search warrant allows the team to get the information it seeks, they're still set to question the President herself as soon as next week,... in person.
Hwang Hojun, Arirang News"
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