Second summons issued for South Korea's Yoon

SEOUL — Investigators probing suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol over his foiled martial law bid ordered him on Friday to appear before the country's corruption watchdog on Dec 25, after he snubbed a previous summons earlier this week.

Yoon was stripped of his duties by parliament last weekend following his short-lived martial law declaration on Dec 3, which plunged the country into its worst political turmoil in decades.

Yoon faces impeachment and criminal charges of insurrection that could see him jailed for life, or even face the death penalty. He is being investigated by prosecutors and a joint team of police, defense ministry and anti-corruption investigators.

"The Joint Investigation Headquarters has notified President Yoon Suk-yeol of a second summons request," the investigators said in a statement on Friday.

The hearing at the Corruption Investigation Office is scheduled for 10 am on Dec 25. If Yoon shows up, he will become the first sitting South Korean president to appear before an investigative agency.

Former president Park Geunhye was impeached under similar circumstances to Yoon, but she was investigated after the constitutional court removed her from power.

Yoon failed to attend a hearing he was summoned to on Wednesday and gave no reason for his absence.

Yoon has been suspended from his position and the constitutional court on Monday began proceedings to determine whether to uphold his impeachment. It has about six months to rule on the matter.

PM investigated

Also on Friday, South Korean police privately investigated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo over Yoon's martial law imposition, Yonhap news agency reported.

The National Office of Investigation conducted a face-to-face investigation into Han, who was serving as the acting president following Yoon's impeachment on Dec 14.

The office questioned nine Cabinet members as suspects or witnesses who participated in a Cabinet meeting held right before the martial law declaration.

Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, said on Friday that his party has decided to participate in the body between the rival parties and the government to discuss issues on security and improving people's livelihoods.

Agencies - Xinhua