The legal team of former President Yoon Suk-yeol has revealed that the special prosecution team deceived him with lies during his apprehension at Seoul Detention Center, warning of strong legal action including criminal charges and constitutional appeals. 

In an emergency statement released on the 8th, the legal team stated, "The 'Gwanghwamun Special Prosecution (Prosecutor Min Jung-ki)' and Seoul Detention Center's officials lied to former President Yoon, promising him he would meet his lawyers upon arrival at the detention center, and then forcibly tried to put him in a car. This clearly constitutes abduction," and lamented, "Threatening lawyers who protested this by invoking 'obstruction of official duties' is not just oppression against a former president but a threat to the entire legal community of the Republic of Korea." 

Specifically, they defined the incident as "a clear illegality and physical abuse of a former head of state through an attempted forced apprehension of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was in detention," and characterized it as a serious situation that directly tramples on human rights guaranteed by the constitution. 

They further stated, "The special prosecution team used physical force on former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was already in detention, on the morning of the 7th, under the pretext of an arrest warrant. The scene where more than ten agents grabbed his arms and legs and ultimately lifted him and his chair, throwing the former president to the floor, will remain a record of unprecedented shame in the history of the Republic of Korea," lamenting, "As a result, former President Yoon sustained injuries to his arms and waist during this process and required medical attention at the infirmary." 

They continued, "The Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure guarantee the suspect's right to remain silent, which is an inviolable human right applicable to everyone. Former President Yoon had already clearly stated his intention to refuse to testify, and the investigative agency should have concluded the investigation or decided on indictment accordingly." The legal team criticized, "The attempt to issue another arrest warrant to a detained suspect who had stated their refusal to testify and forcibly drag them out for interrogation is violence aimed at forcing a statement and effectively constitutes mistreatment by the investigative agency." 

They also pointed out, "This incident goes beyond mere procedural violations; it is an overt political retaliation that instrumentalizes the law for political purposes. The special prosecution team has already branded former President Yoon's claims as 'false excuses' and has continued a biased investigation by concluding even favorable testimony from witnesses as 'collusion.' This is not an 'investigation' but 'punishment execution' disguised as one, and merely 'public humiliation' under the guise of law," they criticized. 

The legal team reiterated, "The right of counsel was overtly violated during all these illegal forced apprehension processes." 

In addition, the legal team stated that these direct actions by the special prosecution team and detention center officials constitute illegal arrest and confinement, abuse of authority, coercion, and mistreatment under the Criminal Act. 

They declared, "We clearly state that the Minister of Justice, who ordered the detention center to cooperate while the special prosecution team announced they would execute the arrest warrant using physical force, is an accomplice in these illegal acts." They added, "In particular, the special prosecution team and the Minister of Justice, who should be at the forefront of upholding the rule of law, instructing correctional officers under their direct command to commit illegal acts is a clear abuse of authority, and they must bear strict legal responsibility. The legal team announces that they will mobilize all legal means, including criminal charges and constitutional appeals, to hold them accountable and rectify this situation." 

They expressed concern, stating, "This incident is not just about former President Yoon personally, but a fight to protect the dignity of the criminal justice process of the Republic of Korea and the human rights of its citizens." They warned, "If a former president is trampled upon by such overt political means today, any ordinary citizen could be oppressed in the same way tomorrow. When the law becomes violence in a country governed by the rule of law, freedom disappears and fear takes its place." 

Finally, they stated, "The legal team for former President Yoon Suk-yeol will not yield to any political pressure and will defend the rights of the constitution and the people to the end." 

In response, the special prosecution team continues to maintain that it was a fair execution of the law. 

According to Yonhap News, in response to the legal team's backlash, the special prosecution team claimed, "This was an execution of a warrant legally issued by the court, considering the suspect's detention situation. It was executed legally." 

Meanwhile, a complaint was filed with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office by a civic group against the special prosecution team for unilaterally releasing to the media claims that former President Yoon "refused arrest while lying down in his underwear, not wearing a prison uniform." 

Previously, on the 5th, the civic group, the Committee for the Welfare of Common People, filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office against Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki, Minister of Justice Jeong Sung-ho, and National Assembly member Jeon Hyun-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea for charges including defamation. Kim Soon-hwan, the secretary-general, stated in a phone call with H.M. Daily, "The special prosecution team defamed and violated former President Yoon's human rights with sensational and excessive expressions, even though he could not be definitively labeled as a criminal." 

Min Jung-ki, Special Prosecutor, enters Seoul Detention Center to apprehend former President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 7th. Yonhap News 

Statement from the Legal Team of Former President Yoon Suk-yeol

"The mobilization of politically retaliatory physical force and attempted abduction of a former president is the destruction of the rule of law and a national disgrace."

On August 7, 2025, the attempted forced apprehension of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was in detention, by the so-called 'Gwanghwamun Special Prosecution' is a clear illegality and physical abuse of a former head of state, representing a grave situation that directly tramples on the human rights guaranteed by the constitution.

On the morning of this day, the special prosecution team used physical force against former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was already in detention, under the pretext of an arrest warrant. The scene where more than ten agents grabbed his arms and legs and ultimately lifted him and his chair, throwing the former president to the floor, will remain a record of unprecedented shame in the history of the Republic of Korea. As a result, former President Yoon sustained injuries to his arms and waist during this process and required medical attention at the infirmary.

The Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure guarantee the suspect's right to remain silent, which is an inviolable human right applicable to everyone. Former President Yoon had already clearly stated his intention to refuse to testify, and the investigative agency should have concluded the investigation or decided on indictment accordingly. The attempt to issue another arrest warrant to a detained suspect who had stated their refusal to testify and forcibly drag them out for interrogation is violence aimed at forcing a statement and effectively constitutes mistreatment by the investigative agency.

This incident goes beyond mere procedural violations; it is overt political retaliation that instrumentalizes the law for political purposes. The special prosecution team has already branded former President Yoon's claims as "false excuses" and has continued a biased investigation by concluding even favorable testimony from witnesses as "collusion." This is not an "investigation" but "punishment execution" disguised as one, and merely "public humiliation" under the guise of law.

What is even more serious is that the right of counsel was overtly violated during all these illegal forced apprehension processes. The detention center officials and the special prosecution team lied to former President Yoon, promising him he would meet his lawyers upon arrival at the detention center, and then forcibly tried to put him in a car. This clearly constitutes abduction. Threatening lawyers who protested this by invoking "obstruction of official duties" is not just oppression against a former president but a threat to the entire legal community of the Republic of Korea.

The legal team clearly states that these direct actions by the special prosecution team and detention center officials constitute illegal arrest and confinement, abuse of authority, coercion, and mistreatment under the Criminal Act. Furthermore, the Minister of Justice, who ordered the detention center to cooperate while the special prosecution team announced they would execute the arrest warrant using physical force, is an accomplice in these illegal acts. In particular, the special prosecution team and the Minister of Justice, who should be at the forefront of upholding the rule of law, instructing correctional officers under their direct command to commit illegal acts is a clear abuse of authority, and they must bear strict legal responsibility. The legal team announces that they will mobilize all legal means, including criminal charges and constitutional appeals, to hold them accountable and rectify this situation.

August 8, 2025

All Members of the Legal Team for Former President Yoon Suk-yeol