South Korean police send officers to search President Yoon Suk Yeol's office

(11 Dec 2024) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS FIRST PUBLISHED AS SKOREA PROSECUTORS++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Seoul - 11 December 2024 1. Wide of gate of South Korean presidential office 2. Close of South Korean presidential office emblem 3. Various of Kim Seong Il, manager of special investigation team, and journalists walking 4. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Seong Il, manager of special investigation team: "We are discussing (the investigation team's entry with the presidential office) and trying to figure out the reasons (why the investigation team was denied access to the office)." 5. Kim getting in vehicle 6. Various of special investigation team waiting inside vehicles outside gates to presidential office 7. Various of gates to presidential office STORYLINE: South Korean police said they sent officers to search President Yoon Suk Yeol's office on Wednesday as part of an intensifying investigation following his sudden and short-lived martial law decree. It wasn't immediately clear if they began searches. Some observers earlier said that the presidential security service won’t likely permit searches of Yoon’s office, citing a law that prohibits searches of sites with state secrets without approval from those in charge of those areas. Yoon on Saturday apologized over the martial law decree, saying that he won't avoid legal or political responsibility for it. The leader of Yoon's ruling party later vowed to arrange the president's stable exit from office, saying the party will coordinate with Cabinet members over state affairs and that Yoon will be sidelined from duties. The comments were criticized as unrealistic and unconstitutional, but caused widespread questions about who is in charge of South Korea and its military at a time of heightened tensions with North Korea. The Justice Ministry on Tuesday banned Yoon from leaving the country as he faces investigations. AP video shot by Yong Ho Kim =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/8969b402bf1943c6b69b9df46382bf7d