 ▲ 윤석열 대통령과 석동현 변호사 © 대통령실 |
윤석열 대통령 변호인단·탄핵심판 대리인단 구성에 관여 중인 석동현 변호사가 23일 "지금 대통령은 권한이 일시 정지됐을 뿐 엄연히 현직 대통령 신분"이라며 "어떤 수사든 (수사기관) 앞에 가 대통령이 응답해야 하는 사안은 아니다"고 밝혔다.
석 변호사는 이날 기자들과 만나 "박근혜 전 대통령도 탄핵심판 절차가 먼저 이뤄지고 대통령 신분을 상실한 상태서 수사가 진행됐다"며 "대통령은 수사보다 탄핵심판 절차가 우선돼야 한다는 생각"이라고 밝혔다.
그러면서 "수사는 하나의 추문(추궁해서 캐묻는 것)으로 대화가 아니다"며 "수사기관은 일방적이라 묻지 않으면 피조사자는 의견을 말할 수도 없을 수 있다"고 했다.
또 "밀폐된 공간서 수사관이 묻고 답하는 식으로 대통령의 헌법적 권한 행사에 관해 판단 받는 건 정말 아니다"며 "만약 14시간 조사를 받으면 대통령이 2년 반 국정을 꾸리며 느낀 것들이 1%라도 조서에 담기겠느냐"고 반문했다.
이어 "수사기관은 자기네가 범죄 범위라 하는 것만 묻는다"며 "대통령은 그러면 '답답하다' '난 모르겠고' 하면 그만인 게 수사"라고 했다.
더불ㅇ "주된 공론화 무대는 결국 헌법재판관 참여하에 진행되는 공개 탄핵 법정이 돼야 한다"며 "탄핵심판이 끝나야 (수사가 진행돼야) 한다는 건 절대 아니다"고 했다.
석 변호사는 일각의 '시간끌기' 지적에 "너무 성급한 지적이다. 헌재서 왜 이렇게 서두르나"라며 "헌정 체계서 중요한 시금석이 될 수 있는 탄핵 심판 절차에 충실히 임하려면 준비 시간이 필요하다"고 반박했다.
그러면서 "국회에서 탄핵소추 의결된지 열흘도 안 됐는데 (윤 대통령이) 변호인들에게 자기 상황을 이해시키는 데도 부족한 시간이라 생각하지 않느냐"고 했다.
또 이와 관련 "(윤 대통령이) 직접 뭘 안 하겠다 피하겠다는 게 아니다"며 "어떻게 열흘 만에 재판 절차를 시작하겠다고 입장을 내놓으라 하느냐"고 말했다고 전했다.
이어 "정말 비상계엄 하나로 수사·탄핵하고 대통령이 바보인가? 계엄하게"라며 "계엄하면서도 헌법 절차에 엄격히 따랐고 아무런 사고 없이 수 시간 만에 종결됐다"고 강조했다.
더불어 "대통령이 앞으로 진행될 사안들에 대한 기본 입장들을 밖에서 알아줬움 하는 답답하단 토로를 제게 했다"며 "대통령의 이런 입장을 국민·언론에서 알아야 한다 생각해 말씀드린다"고 했다.
아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.
President Yoon Seok-yeol's side: "Yoon's authority was temporarily suspended, but he is still a sitting president."
Seok Dong-hyun: "Yoon, prioritizing impeachment trial procedures over investigation, status as incumbent president, former President Park Geun-hye also conducted investigations after impeachment... main stage for public discussion is the Constitutional Court impeachment court, buying time? Hasty criticism"
-kihong Kim reporter
Attorney Seok Dong-hyun, who is involved in forming President Yoon Seok-yeol's defense team and impeachment trial representative team, stated on the 23rd, "The president's authority is currently suspended, but he is still the incumbent president," and "it is not a matter that the president must respond to in front of (the investigative agency) for any investigation."
Attorney Seok met with reporters that day and stated, "Former President Park Geun-hye also went through the impeachment trial process first and the investigation was conducted while she lost her status as president," and "I think the president should prioritize the impeachment trial process over the investigation."
He added, "An investigation is not a conversation, but a questioning (questioning through questioning)." He added, "The investigative agency is one-sided, so if you don't ask, the person being investigated may not be able to express their opinion."
He also said, “It is really not right to be judged on the president’s exercise of constitutional authority in a closed space with investigators asking and answering questions,” and asked, “If the president is investigated for 14 hours, will even 1% of what he felt while running the country for two and a half years be included in the report?”
He continued, “The investigative agency only asks about what they consider to be the scope of their crimes,” and “If the president says, ‘I’m frustrated,’ or ‘I don’t know,’ that’s the end of the investigation.”
He added, “The main stage for public discussion should ultimately be the public impeachment trial conducted with the participation of the Constitutional Court justices,” and “It is absolutely not the case that the impeachment trial should be over before the investigation can proceed.”
Attorney Seok refuted some criticisms of “stalling time,” saying, “That is too hasty of a point. Why is the Constitutional Court in such a hurry?” and “In order to faithfully carry out the impeachment trial procedure, which can be an important touchstone in the constitutional system, time for preparation is needed.”
He then said, "It hasn't even been ten days since the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion, so don't you think (President Yoon) doesn't have enough time to make his lawyers understand his situation?"
He also said, "(President Yoon) is not saying that he will not do anything or avoid it himself," and "How can you ask him to state his position that he will start the trial process in ten days?"
He then said, "Is the president really stupid to conduct an investigation and impeachment with only martial law? Martial law," and emphasized, "While under martial law, we strictly followed the constitutional procedures and it was concluded in a few hours without any incident."
He also said, "He told me that he was frustrated that the president's basic positions on future issues were known to the public," and "I think the people and the media should know this position of the president, so I'm telling you this."
