Yoo Si-min, the former chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, criticized the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) over its alleged incompetence during the process of executing a detention warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol. Speaking on MBC radio on the 6th, Yoo remarked, “What can desk-bound people really do?” The term “desk-bound” is a derogatory expression used to describe individuals who are considered detached from worldly affairs due to their academic focus, and Yoo seemed to aim this criticism at the CIO.
During the MBC radio program “Kwon Soon-pyo’s News High Kick,” Yoo argued that when the CIO and police entered, the police suggested arresting the chief of presidential security and his deputy but failed to follow through. He contrasted the CIO by saying that its prosecutors, who scored well on exams, are unlike the police who have experience combating drug and violent organizations and facing risks in the field.
Earlier, the joint investigation headquarters involving the CIO and the Police National Investigation Headquarters sought to extend the validity of the detention warrant for President Yoon just hours before its expiration. The CIO announced it re-applied for the warrant at the Seoul Western District Court. The CIO and police had originally attempted to execute the warrant on the fourth day after it was issued, but were blocked by the Presidential Security Service.
Concerns arose over the muddled process when the CIO decided to pass the enforcement of the detention warrant to the police, who then rejected this move. Critics argued that the CIO was trying to avoid the risks associated with executing the warrant while maintaining authority over the investigation into President Yoon, which resulted in confusion in the process.
In a press briefing on the 6th, the CIO admitted its lack of capacity and expertise to execute warrants without police support. Lee Jae-seung, deputy chief of the CIO, acknowledged that their limited personnel could not break through significant resistance and highlighted the need for police assistance in terms of manpower, equipment, and experience.
Despite being established with significant support from the opposition parties such as the Democratic Party of Korea, the CIO has been criticized for its lack of visible results compared to other investigative bodies. While the CIO secured an arrest warrant for Moon Sang-ho, another high-ranking official, it has faced criticism for not detaining or questioning other key individuals related to recent emergency decree incidents.