Special prosecutor indicts four lawmakers for obstructing former president's arrest warrant

South Korea's special prosecutor has indicted four incumbent lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party on charges of obstructing official duties. The accused include prominent figures Na Kyung-won, Kim Gi-hyeon, Yoon Sang-hyun, and Kwon Young-jin. The indictment stems from allegations that they interfered with the execution of an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The special prosecutor's office announced on Thursday that the four lawmakers were indicted without detention for obstructing the execution of a special public official's duties. The charges relate to an incident in December 2022, following an alleged illegal emergency martial law declaration. Prosecutors claim the lawmakers physically blocked the entrance to the former president's residence in Yongsan, Seoul, forming a human wall to prevent the warrant's execution by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).

According to the prosecution, the indictment is based on a comprehensive review of evidence. This includes testimonies from CIO officials involved in the warrant execution, video footage from the scene, audio recordings of verbal abuse, and legal precedents from similar cases. The special prosecutor stated that the lawmakers' actions went beyond merely expressing opposition to the arrest, actively hindering the lawful duties of the public officials involved.