Special counsel summons South Korean ex-President Yoon for questioning
Special prosecutor Min Joong-ki's office sent a request to the Seoul Detention Center, where Yoon is currently being held, to appear for questioning on Jul. 29, assistant special prosecutor Moon Hong-ju said at a press briefing.
"The special prosecutor sent a request for investigation cooperation regarding former President Yoon to the head of the Seoul Detention Center this morning, requesting that he appear as a suspect at 10 a.m. on July 29," Moon said.
Moon added that the office also mailed a summons to Kim Keon Hee's residence to request her appearance on Aug. 6.
Kim is being investigated on a range of allegations including stock price manipulation, accepting luxury goods in exchange for political favors and meddling in election nominations.
Yoon faces questioning over the election meddling charges, which involve power broker Myung Tae-kyun, the special consul's office said. The former presidential couple are suspected of influencing candidate nominations for Yoon's People Power Party in local and parliamentary elections.
The summons for Yoon comes as he awaits a separate trial over his short-lived Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Yoon's decree was quickly overturned by the National Assembly and led to his impeachment and eventual removal from office.
The former president was arrested on Jul. 10 over concerns he may destroy evidence ahead of the trial, marking Yoon's second time in custody. In January, after a weeks-long standoff using his presidential security detail, Yoon was arrested on insurrection charges. He was later released in March on procedural grounds.
Special prosecutors indicted Yoon on additional charges on Saturday, including an allegation that he abused power by not holding a required meeting with all cabinet members before declaring martial law.
He is also accused of creating a false document claiming the full cabinet endorsed the martial law decree and later destroying it.
The insurrection charges Yoon faces are punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty.
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