Latest news with #PresidentialSecurityService
Korea Herald
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Democratic Party of Korea requests presidential security for Lee Jae-myung citing 'terrorist threats'
"Anti-Lee Jae-myung forces" are conspiring a terrorist attack against the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, according to a lawmaker who is co-leading Lee's campaign as a member of the party's supreme council, on Tuesday. Rep. Kim Byung-joo convened a security meeting that same day, where he claimed that the "far right" and "sympathizers" of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's "insurrection against South Korea" were "plotting a terrorist attack against Lee." He went on to suggest pulling agents from the Presidential Security Service to guard Lee, saying the "biggest threat to South Korea's security at the moment is terrorist threats" targeting the Democratic Party candidate. Speaking at the same meeting, Choi Yun-ho, who was the second-in-charge in former President Moon Jae-in's protective team, said police protection of Lee may not be sufficient. Choi cited terrorist attacks against then-US presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2024 and late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 to make a case for mobilizing PSS agents to bolster Lee's security. However, the legal grounds for granting a candidate access to presidential security are unclear. Kim claimed that "insurrection sympathizers and enablers have sought many ways to bring Lee down over the years," including a "recent attempt at a judicial coup." This seemed to allude to the Supreme Court's verdict that overturned an earlier ruling, which had found Lee not guilty of violating election laws. "I think it's possible that these forces could resort to extreme measures in a bid to deal one last blow to Lee. The terrorist threats facing Lee are very real, and they shouldn't be overlooked," Kim said. According to the National Police Agency on Monday, the police have received seven complaints about potential threats of a terrorist attack against Lee in the past week.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Korea ex-president back in court for criminal trial
South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court Monday for the second hearing of his criminal trial to defend himself against insurrection charges over his short-lived declaration of martial law. Yoon was formally stripped of office earlier this month, after being impeached and suspended by lawmakers over his December 3 attempt to subvert civilian rule, which saw armed soldiers deployed to parliament. He became South Korea's first sitting head of state to be arrested in January in connection with the criminal case against him, although he was later released on procedural grounds. Yoon's court appearance on Monday is the first time media were allowed to film the former president's criminal trial, where he was seated in the defendant's chair before proceedings began. Dressed in a suit and red tie, Yoon appeared indifferent as photographers captured him seated in the courtroom. During the first day of his criminal trial last week, the ex-president defended himself in court, speaking for more than 90 minutes, denying that he had committed insurrection. If found guilty, Yoon would become the third South Korean president to be found guilty of insurrection -- after two military leaders in connection with a 1979 coup. For charges of insurrection, Yoon could be sentenced to life in prison or the maximum penalty: the death sentence. But it is highly unlikely that sentence would be carried out. South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997. Separately, last week police attempted to raid Yoon's former presidential office and his security detail as part of a probe into "alleged obstruction of an arrest warrant execution," but failed after presidential security denied them permission to enter the residence. Yoon spent weeks holed up in his compound in January, protected by members of the Presidential Security Service who had remained loyal to him. His guards had installed barbed wire and barricades at the residence, forcing hundreds of police officers and investigators to use ladders and scale perimeter walls to reach the main building. At the time, he was booked on charges of obstruction, with police saying last week that "in principle", an in-person investigation would be necessary. hs/mtp
Korea Herald
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Police raid presidential office, PSS residence in Yongsan
The police launched a search and seizure operation of the presidential office and the official residence of the Presidential Security Service in Hannam-dong in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, as a part of its ongoing investigations into the martial law debacle involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol. According to the Korean National Police Agency, the police conducted a search and seizure operation related to charges of obstructing public duties against Yoon and former acting chief of the Presidential Security Service Kim Sung-hoon. The police will work to seize Yoon and Kim's secure phone line servers while also investigating the PSS office and the official residence of the PSS chief. In addition to the raids, the police stated that security camera footage of the former Minister of Interior and Safety would also be collected from the presidential office. The recent raids come after numerous failed attempts by authorities to conduct a search and seizure operation of the presidential office and residence as well as the PSS' office and residence, following the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. At the time, law enforcement officials were not permitted to conduct raids under the Criminal Procedure Act, which does not allow locations holding confidential information regarding the military and national security to be subject to search and seizure without the consent of the responsible authority.
Korea Herald
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Yoon Suk Yeol to move out of presidential residence on Friday
As many as 50 bodyguards assigned to cover security of ex-first couple's private home South Korea's ousted former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, along with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, is scheduled to move out of the presidential residence on Friday and return to their private residence in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, according to the presidential office on Thursday. "Former President Yoon will leave the presidential residence to his private residence at 5 p.m. on Friday," an official at the presidential office announced on Thursday afternoon. "Senior aides to the Presidential Office will also visit the presidential residence (during Yoon's move)." No specific plans have been made as to whether Yoon will issue a separate message or step out of his vehicle to greet his supporters as he leaves the presidential residence. The Presidential Security Service has also reportedly finished organizing a team of up to 50 personnel to handle security at Yoon and Kim's private home. Under South Korean law, even though Yoon has been removed from power and stripped of the rights and privileges of the presidency, he and his wife are still eligible for PSS protection for up to 10 years. The former president's private residence is located in an apartment complex in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. As Yoon previously commuted from his apartment for six months after being inaugurated as president in May 2022, local media reports speculate that the PSS won't face major difficulties in performing security tasks. However, since their private residence is an apartment complex and not a freestanding house, Yoon and Kim are reportedly considering moving away from the center of Seoul as the presence of up to 50 security guards, together with their 11 pets, is likely to cause various inconveniences for their neighbors. Yoon and Kim plan to take all six dogs and five cats that they had kept at the presidential residence with them when they move out.
Korea Herald
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Yoon Suk Yeol to move out of presidential residence by Sunday
As many as 50 bodyguards assigned to cover security of ex-first couple's private home South Korea's ousted former president, Yoon Suk Yeok, along with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, are scheduled to move out of the presidential residence no later than this weekend, to return to their private residence in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, according to the presidential office on Thursday. 'Though there isn't a confirmed date for their departure to their private residence, there is no change in our position that it will not go beyond this weekend,' said an official at the presidential office, adding that the move will be between Friday and Sunday. Once the ex-first couple's departure date is finalized, the presidential office is considering announcing the move either the day before or the day it occurs. The Presidential Security Service has also reportedly completed organizing a team of up to 50 personnel to handle security at Yoon and Kim's private home. Under South Korean law, even though Yoon has been removed from power and stripped of the rights and privileges that came with the presidency, under current law, he and his wife are still eligible for PSS protection for up to 10 years. The former president's private residence is located in an apartment complex in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. As Yoon previously commuted from his apartment for six months after being inaugurated as president in May 2022, local media reports speculate that the PSS won't face major difficulties in performing security tasks. However, since their private residence is an apartment complex rather than a freestanding house, Yoon and Kim are reportedly considering moving elsewhere away from the center of Seoul as the presence of up to 50 security guards, together with their 11 pets, is likely to create various inconveniences for the neighbors. Yoon and Kim plan to take all six dogs and five cats that they had raised at the presidential residence with them when they move out.
