A vehicle is seen leaving the entrance of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 8th, the day after the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Department reissued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol. [Yonhap News]
With the opposition raising suspicions of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s escape, a man presumed to be President Yoon was captured on camera by a media outlet on the 8th.
According to a YouTube video released by OhmyTV on that day, a figure believed to be President Yoon was seen around 12:53 PM, looking around the vicinity of the residence along with security personnel.
The individual in the video was observed stopping in a zone where a third barricade was established during the execution of the first arrest warrant by the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Department on the 3rd.
Analyses suggested that, given the size of the entourage and manner of walking, the person closely resembles President Yoon.
It is reported that the police have confirmed President Yoon’s presence at the Hannam-dong residence not only during the first arrest warrant execution but also this week.
In response, the presidential office announced that it has filed charges against OhmyTV for violating the Military Base and Installation Protection Act by filming the area around the residence.
The presidential office emphasized, “The residence area is a military facility protection zone as the current president and head of state reside there, directly linked to national security,” and expressed “strong regret along with the charges.”
The rumor of President Yoon’s escape was sparked by remarks from Office of the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Director Oh Dong-woon during his appearance at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee the previous day. Director Oh responded to a question from Park Beom-gye, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, about whether the president was at the residence, stating, “I have not received specific reports on such matters and cannot comment.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Party Representative Park Ji-won claimed on his Facebook, “The video released today is a move to dispel certain escape rumors and, above all, a calculated move to reassure unsettled security personnel by saying, ‘I am still here’.” He added, “There is information that security officials below the deputy department head are concerned, and today’s appearance is evidence of that.”