The police also effectively rejected a request from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) to take charge of detaining Yoon on charges of insurrection.
Earlier in the day, the CIO revealed that it had requested the police to execute the arrest warrant after its failed attempt on Friday, which was thwarted by resistance from the Presidential Security Service.
"The CIO is clearly the primary authority for executing the arrest warrant," a police investigator said during a briefing. "Delegating the execution authority to us raises legal issues."
Police disclosed that 120 special investigators were deployed during the first arrest attempt and that they had considered using SWAT teams.
They also noted that Park Jong-joon, head of the Presidential Security Service, has not complied with a summons for questioning regarding alleged obstruction of the warrant's execution.
"Based on evidence collected so far, we believe there are sufficient grounds to charge four security service officials, including Director Park, with obstruction of official duties," the police official added.
Police said they would continue to coordinate with the CIO on executing the warrant while adhering to legal procedures.
The arrest warrant, issued last Tuesday after Yoon ignored three summonses for questioning regarding his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, is set to expire at midnight on Monday. The CIO has indicated plans to request an extension of the warrant from the court.
On Sunday, the CIO sent an official letter to the National Office of Investigation (NOI), asking the police to handle the warrant's execution while the CIO retains control of the investigation.
The CIO had also asked Acting President Choi Sang-mok to ensure cooperation from the Presidential Security Service, but it received no response by the Sunday noon deadline.
"We determined we could no longer wait for a response," said Lee Jae-seung, deputy chief of the investigation office.
Lee explained that the decision to involve the police was based on their expertise in warrant execution and the need for unified command at the scene.
He added that the CIO has about 50 members, with only 30 available for field operations, while the police are better equipped to manage potential physical confrontations during an arrest attempt.
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