Court to hold hearing on suspension of presidential office's raid rejection

A Seoul court will hold a hearing later this week to decide whether to suspend the block of a search of the presidential office that has prevented investigators from searching for evidence of alleged wrongdoings committed by the chief executive, sources said Monday.

The special counsel investigating the scandal centered on President Park Geun-hye filed the unprecedented lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court on Friday after its attempts to raid Park's office Cheong Wa Dae was halted by her aides earlier this month.
 

The court set the hearing for Wednesday 10 a.m. so that it can hear arguments from both sides, the court and the investigation team said.

The probe team has sought the suspension while also asking the court to nullify the presidential office's decision to block prosecutors' entry into Cheong Wa Dae. Park's top aide and chief security officer have cited security reasons for the disapproval.

The court can make the decision as early as Wednesday.

It is expected to deliver a ruling as soon as possible, as the probe team's investigation deadline is slated for Feb. 28. The court-issued search warrant is also valid until the same day.

The raid into Cheong Wa Dae will become impossible if the suit is turned down by the court, the probe team's spokesman said.

Under the country's law, military facilities and other areas that handle confidential information cannot be searched without approval from the person in charge of the location. The law, however, prohibits the person from refusing to grant such consent unless it infringes upon key national interests. (Yonhap)