Park Chong-jun, chief of the Presidential Security Service, appeared at the National Office of Investigation (NOI) headquarters in western Seoul in the morning and expressed concern about potential clashes between government agencies during the police operation to arrest Yoon.
"I believe many people must be deeply concerned about a situation where government agencies are confronting and clashing with each other," he said.
"Under no circumstances should there be physical confrontations or bloodshed."
With this in mind, Park said he had made several calls to Acting President Choi Sang-mok, requesting mediation between government agencies to prevent such a situation and seeking alternative solutions from Yoon's legal team.
"But I did not receive any satisfactory response," he added.
Park, a former senior police official, faces charges of obstructing official duties by ordering security staff to block the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from executing a warrant to detain Yoon last week.
Yoon faces charges of insurrection related to his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.
The CIO obtained a new warrant earlier this week and is preparing for another attempt to execute it.
Park voiced opposition to the CIO's plan.
"The investigation should proceed in a manner befitting the status of a sitting president," he said. "I don't believe the current method of executing an arrest warrant is appropriate."
Park had previously declined two police summonses before appearing on Friday.
Later in the day, the Presidential Security Service announced Park submitted his resignation to Acting President Choi through an aide as he appeared for police questioning. Choi accepted the resignation afterward
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
