South Korea crisis: Amid probe, Yoon's security chief quits

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's security chief resigned Friday, a week after leading a team that blocked an attempt to arrest the impeached president over his short-lived imposition of martial law.

Park Chong-jun offered to resign earlier in the day as he appeared for police questioning over alleged obstruction of duties last week. His offer was accepted by Acting President Choi Sang-mok. The resignation comes as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which is leading the probe into Yoon for alleged insurrection, is mulling their next move to take Yoon in custody.

Vice chief of the Presidential Security Service team will serve as an acting leader, a PSS official said. It's not immediately clear if the vice chief will cooperate with the probe team's warrant execution. The vice chief has also defied multiple police summons to appear for questioning and has received a third summons to appear before investigators on Saturday, according to Yonhap News.


Arriving at a police station in Seoul, Park said he repeatedly asked Acting President Choi to step in and mediate to avoid a potential clash between government agencies but he did not hear back from the acting president.

"I believe the investigation procedures should take place, taking into account his status as a sitting president," Park said.