Former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s legal team has denounced the special counsel’s request for a warrant to arrest him.

In a notice to reporters on Tuesday, Yoon’s legal team called the move an “ambush,” saying the special counsel filed for the warrant without even issuing a summons of its own.

The lawyers said Yoon had planned to cooperate with the investigation as his case was transferred from the police to the special counsel, but that the counsel never issued a single summons to appear for questioning. 

The legal team said it was unjust for the special counsel to seek an arrest warrant immediately after starting work. 

Yoon’s lawyers added that the former president will comply with any future summons from the special counsel in accordance with due process. 

The special prosecution team investigating insurrection allegations against Yoon requested the arrest warrant on Tuesday after Yoon defied three summonses to appear for police questioning earlier this month.