Ex-PM Han appears for special counsel questioning in martial law probe
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appears at the office of special prosecutor Cho Eun-seok's team located in the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, Tuesday, to face questioning over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched attempt to impose martial law. Yonhap
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday appeared before a special counsel team for questioning over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched attempt to impose martial law.
Han did not respond to reporters' questions as he arrived at special counsel Cho Eun-suk's office in southern Seoul for the session expected to focus on allegations that he aided Yoon's efforts to declare martial law on Dec. 3.
Cho's team is expected to decide whether to seek an arrest warrant against Han after questioning him.
Special prosecutors suspect Han played a key role in Yoon's declaration, considering the procedures to declare martial law require involvement from the prime minister.
Han was among the six Cabinet members Yoon first called in to share his plans to declare martial law. He also took part in a Cabinet meeting that reviewed the decree and another one that lifted it on Dec. 4.
Cho's team also believes Han was involved in Yoon's alleged efforts to draft and destroy a revised version of the decree after the martial law was lifted.
Han testified at the National Assembly in February that he was not aware of the martial law decree until the Cabinet meeting that lifted the martial law. Han later claimed that he realized a copy of the decree was in his back pocket.
But the special counsel has reportedly secured surveillance footage from the presidential office that shows Han looking through martial law documents.
Late last month, Cho's team raided Han's residence to confiscate related materials for evidence.