Special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk and his team have refused a request from former President Yoon Suk Yeol for access to an underground entrance when he arrives Saturday for questioning in the December 3 martial law investigation.

At a press briefing on Thursday, assistant counselor Park Ji-young said the former president had sought permission to enter the special team’s office through an underground parking lot, and avoid the expected bank of cameras that he may have to face upon arrival.

Mentioning that former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Roh Moo-hyun, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye all appeared publicly for questioning in past cases, the assistant counselor said the team notified Yoon’s lawyers that it could not agree to the request.

Park said the submission of a written opinion from Yoon stating that he cannot comply with the special team’s summons unless he is allowed underground access as requested can be considered a refusal to attend the questioning.

The assistant counselor said in that case, the Criminal Procedure Act could be reviewed, referring to the fact that the team had considered filing once again for a warrant for Yoon’s arrest, after a Seoul court dismissed its previous warrant request late Wednesday.

The team, meanwhile, agreed to delay the interrogation by an hour at Yoon’s request and question him at 10 a.m. Saturday instead of 9 a.m.