Seok Dong-hyun stated that “detailed knowledge of domestic situations is crucial for preparing for a return,” reflecting the stance of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s team regarding the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission’s decision to prohibit external visits to the detained president. The team emphasized the need for President Yoon to stay well-informed about ongoing domestic issues, despite the suspension of his duties and powers, as a preparation for his potential return to office.
On January 20, Seok Dong-hyun, Yoon’s lawyer, expressed on Facebook that although Yoon’s powers are currently suspended due to the National Assembly’s unilateral impeachment, the possibility of reinstatement remains open depending on the impeachment trial’s outcome. Seok criticized the legal authorities for holding the president in a detention facility, citing “risk of evidence destruction,” and for prohibiting Yoon from meeting with anyone other than his lawyer, labeling this as a demonstration of the investigative body’s power.
Seok further noted that while he has no concrete evidence, he believes that during the impeachment proceedings of former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye, they likely received at least basic reports from their staff or necessary meetings at the Blue House. He argued that if the current president is restricted to only watching limited TV news, it effectively blinds and deafens him to national matters, posing the question of who future presidents will transition their duties from. He stressed that the information access for an incumbent president preparing for a return should differ from that of an ordinary criminal suspect.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission had decided on the previous day to prohibit President Yoon from meeting anyone other than his lawyer, citing potential risks of evidence tampering involving case-related individuals.