SOUTH KOREAN POLICE ISSUE 3RD SUMMONS TO HEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY SERVICE

SEOUL, Jan 7 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- Police on Tuesday ordered the head of the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to appear for questioning later this week in its third summons over allegations he blocked investigators' attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Park Chong-jun, chief of the PSS, was booked on charges of obstructing official duties after presidential security officials blocked the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from executing a warrant to detain Yoon last Friday.

Park was ordered to appear for questioning Friday, after he ignored two previous summonses for questioning on Saturday and Tuesday.

The PSS earlier said in a notice to the press that Park has yet to appoint a lawyer.

"It is difficult for Park to appear today as he has not yet appointed legal representation," it said. "He will coordinate the date for questioning after appointing a lawyer today or tomorrow."

The third summons is likely to be the final one before police seek a warrant to detain Park.

Yoon, who faces charges of insurrection and abuse of power over his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec 3, became the first sitting president to face arrest after he ignored three summonses for questioning.

Lee Kwang-woo, head of the PSS bodyguard division, was also scheduled for questioning Tuesday on charges of obstructing Yoon's detention. After he failed to show up, police said they sent a second summons ordering him to appear on Friday.

Yoon has refused to cooperate with the CIO's summonses for questioning or warrant execution as the agency is not technically authorized to investigate charges of insurrection.

The CIO and the police are jointly reviewing whether to detain PSS staff in the event they try to block a second attempt to arrest Yoon, according to police.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP