Former President Yoon Suk-yeol is cooperating with investigators without invoking his right to remain silent during his first face-to-face questioning by Special Counsel Min Joong-ki's team probing allegations involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee.
Yoon's legal team said in a statement Tuesday that "Former President Yoon appeared for the special counsel's investigation, did not exercise his right to remain silent, and is answering sincerely on matters he has knowledge of."
The special counsel team began questioning Yoon at around 10 a.m. The morning session focused on allegations that Yoon received polling data from political broker Myung Tae-kyun and sought to influence a ruling party nomination for former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min. The session was suspended at 11:56 a.m.
Questioning resumed at 1 p.m. The afternoon session reportedly covered allegations that Yoon received expensive gifts along with requests for favorable appointments from Lee Bong-kwan, chairman of Seohee Construction, and Lee Bae-yong, former head of the National Education Commission.
The special counsel team also plans to question Yoon about alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act. The allegations center on statements Yoon made during a public debate in late 2021, when he was a presidential candidate, regarding his wife's alleged involvement in stock manipulation at Deutsch Motors and controversies over her falsified credentials.
Investigators also plan to wrap up questioning on other major allegations linked to Yoon, including suspected preferential treatment in rerouting the Yangpyeong Expressway and in relocating the presidential residence.
With only eight days remaining in the special counsel's investigative period, observers say it will be difficult to summon Yoon for additional questioning.
