Police search official residence, office of arrested ex-defense minister
Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is seen in this Nov. 28 photo. Yonhap
Police conducted a search-and seizure of evidence at the official residence and office of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Sunday, officials said, amid a widening probe over treason charges in connection with President Yoon Suk Yeol's surprise declaration of martial law last week.
An investigation team at the police has also obtained a court warrant, specifying allegations of treason, as well as mutiny under military criminal law, to secure Kim's call records, officials said.
The move followed Kim's arrest by a prosecution-led special investigation headquarters earlier in the day. The team seized Kim's mobile phone and sent him to a detention center in eastern Seoul.
Police investigators carry a box for collecting evidence at the office of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun in Seoul, Dec. 8, as part of an investigation related to his alleged role in President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of emergency martial law last week. Yonhap
From Sunday's visit, the police confiscated a cellphone believed to have been used by Kim, along with some 17 other digital devices.
Police will run a forensic analysis on the phone to find out whether it was the one Kim had used at the time of the martial law imposition.
Kim apparently discarded his cellphone following the martial law chaos.
As part of efforts to expand its investigation into the botched martial law declaration, police said it will additionally dispatch 30 officers to run a 150-member special investigation team.
Meanwhile, police said they are not considering launching a joint investigation into the martial law declaration with the prosecution.
The response came after Park Se-hyun, who is leading a special investigation headquarters into the case, said at a press briefing that the prosecution is willing to work with police upon their request for a joint probe. (Yonhap)