South Korea: Yoon defies joint investigation team's summons for 2nd time over martial law probe

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday defied a joint investigation team's summons for questioning over his short-lived declaration of martial law, marking the second time he has refused to comply with its request, Yonhap reports. 

Yoon did not appear before the office of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, as requested by 10:00 a.m. as part of a joint investigation into his botched declaration of martial law on Dec. 3.

Yoon faces charges of being a ringleader of an insurrection and abuse of power through his martial law declaration in the joint investigation among the CIO, the police and the defense ministry's investigation unit.

He did not comply with the CIO's first summons last Wednesday.

The CIO currently plans to wait for Yoon's possible appearance later in the day.

On Tuesday, Seok Dong-hyeon, Yoon's lawyer, said Yoon places a priority on the Constitutional Court proceedings on his impeachment and that he plans to issue a statement on his position on the trial after Christmas Day.

Earlier it was reported that Yoon unlikely to appear for questioning Wednesday.