Prosecutors and police have summoned President Yoon...The defense team is "preparing to enter."

■ Host: Anchor Jeong Jin-hyung and anchor Lee Eun-sol
■ Starring: Reporter of the Ministry of Social Affairs Kim Youngsoo Kim

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN New Square 8PM] when quoting.

[Anchor]
From now on, let's take a look at some more related news with reporter Youngsoo Kim of the Ministry of Social Affairs. How are you? First, the police notified Yoon Suk Yeol's president of the summons today. Please organize the related news first.

[Reporter]
The police, the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, and the Ministry of National Defense set up a joint investigation headquarters. That's where I notified the President of Yoon Suk Yeol's recall investigation. To be exact, I tried to deliver the attendance request. I went to the presidential office first at around 10:30 a.m., I went to a place in Yongsan, but the secretary office said it wasn't their job and said they didn't receive a request for attendance. Even though I moved to the official residence, I failed to deliver the attendance request. However, since the police sent the mail by express registration, the police believe that the service has been completed for now. The attendance request was written under the name of the prosecutor of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. President Yoon Suk Yeol was found to have been charged with the head of the rebellion.

[Anchor]
Didn't the prosecution notify you of the summons earlier?

[Reporter]
That's right. It is known over the weekend, but it was reported that the prosecution sent a request for attendance on the 11th. I told him to attend until yesterday, but the president of Yoon Suk Yeol did not attend. The prosecution explained that it sent an official letter to the president's office and sent it by mail to confirm that the request for attendance was delivered. Since he was not present until yesterday, the prosecution once again notified him of the summons today. It's not confirmed exactly how long they told me to come out. The prosecution said on the 11th that the first time it demanded the attendance of President Yoon Suk Yeol. This is the day after the arrest warrant for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was issued. So, the prosecution may have judged that it is possible to investigate the president immediately after the arrest of former Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Or, we cannot rule out the possibility that President Yoon Suk Yeol would not immediately respond to the investigation and requested attendance in advance.

[Anchor]
And let's look at one more investigation. The police arrested the former and current intelligence commander, but the prosecution rejected the arrest of the incumbent commander. What happened?

[Reporter]
That's right. The police arrested Moon Sang-ho, commander of intelligence, and Roh Sang-won, former commander, yesterday. Two former and current intelligence commanders have been arrested, and in the case of Commander Moon Sang-ho, he is suspected of sending troops to the NEC. When martial law was declared, troops were sent to the NEC in two minutes. So the police suspect the possibility that this was simulated in advance. Roh Sang-won is suspected of being involved in the proclamation. Earlier, the Democratic Party also raised suspicions that the person might have been involved in writing the decree. In particular, former commander Roh Sang-won is known to be close to former Minister Kim Yong-hyun. However, the prosecution rejected the arrest of Moon Sang-ho, the incumbent commander. The prosecution judged that it violated the rules related to jurisdiction under the Military Court Act because it was an active-duty soldier. However, the police are protesting, saying that the police also have the right to investigate active-duty soldiers and that they can investigate rebellion. In the end, the police and the prosecution have different interpretations of the investigation and jurisdiction.

[Anchor]
I see. The Constitutional Court has begun impeachment proceedings. The judges' meeting was held for the first time today, right?

[Reporter]
That's right. The Constitutional Court on the 14th. I received the impeachment motion that passed the National Assembly and held my first official meeting of judges today. I did a briefing, but I decided to refer the case to the defense preparation process and designate Lee Mi-sun and Jeong Hyeong-sik as the life judge. The first hearing preparation date was set at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 27. The plan is to secure the investigation records of the police and prosecution early in the preparation period for the defense. First of all, I decided to hear this case, the impeachment trial case against the president, as a top priority.

[Anchor]
And the chief judge has also been decided, right?

[Reporter]
That's right. It wasn't released at the time of the briefing, but it was released afterwards. Judge Jeong Hyung-sik has been chosen as the chief judge of the impeachment trial. The referee said that the computer will be decided at random. Judge Jeong Hyeong-sik is 17th of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. I served as the chief judge of the Seoul High Court. He is also known for being nominated by the president of Yoon Suk Yeol. But there was one controversy. President Yoon Suk Yeol recently appointed former lawmaker Park Sun-young as chairman of the evolution committee, and Judge Jeong Hyeong-sik is known as the priest of this person. So there was a controversy. However, as I said, when deciding the referee, the decision is made by random computer lottery. And in the case of the Constitutional Court, he stressed that the chief judge is only in charge of the degree of approval in the administrative process and does not significantly affect the process of discussing the results. Acting Constitutional Court Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae also stressed that who the chief judge is cannot determine the speed or direction of the trial.

[Anchor]
Compared to the impeachment trial and the case of former President Park Geun Hye, how fast can we see the pace now?

[Reporter]
Former President Park Geun Hye's impeachment passed on December 9, 2016. The first hearing preparation date has been set for December 22nd. That's why it took 13 days. In the case of President Yoon Suk Yeol, the impeachment bill was passed on the 14th, and as I said, the first hearing preparation date was set on December 27. It will take the same 13 days. When the hearing begins, the hearing date will probably be held about once every three to four days in light of precedent. During the former President Park Geun Hye, the first hearing began on January 3rd and the 17th anniversary was held. I concluded my argument on February 27th. Excluding the period of preparation for the hearing or the period of the discussion, the defense was held for about 60 days, so it can be considered that the defense was continuously held about once every three or four days.

[Anchor]
Then, there is a possibility that the president of Yoon Suk Yeol will attend in person in the future, can we see it like this?

[Reporter]
I think it's up to the president's will. By law, the president does not have to attend or not. Even if the president is not present, the defense can continue. If the president is present, I think he may be asked directly and answered there. However, in the case of former President Park Geun Hye, he did not appear at the Constitutional Court until the end. Instead, deputies attended and defended former President Park Geun Hye's position.

[Anchor]
I told you earlier on the report. President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers have also been formed?

[Reporter]
That's right. Kim Hong-il, former chairman of the Korea Communications Standards Commission, has decided to serve as the representative of President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers. I sent a simple notice to the media today, but I said that I'm organizing my internal position and asking you to wait a little bit. Former Chairman Kim Hong-il is well known as a senior prosecutor to President Yoon Suk Yeol. And I also worked with him when I was the head of the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. If you have a chance to speak out or take questions from reporters, I think you can hear more specifically about the police and prosecution's investigation and the impeachment trial.

[Anchor]
Let's stop here. I've been a reporter for the Youngsoo Kim of the Ministry of Social Affairs. Thank you.