Ex-defense minister's home, office searched over suspected abuse of power

Ex-Defense Minister Song Young-moo speaks, in this Sept. 21, 2018, file photo / Korea Times photo by Koh Yeong-gwon

Investigators searched the home and office of former Defense Minister Song Young-moo and the defense ministry headquarters Friday over suspicions of abuse of power.

Song, who served under the Moon Jae-in administration, is accused of forcing then senior ministry officials to make and endorse documents refuting a media report that he had said a controversial contingency martial law plan authored by the previous Park Geun-hye government "legally had no problem."

The martial law plan was drawn up when Park faced impeachment in 2017.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials sent investigators to the residences and offices of Song, one of his former aides, a former ministry spokesperson and the defense ministry to seize evidence, officials said.

Officials said they will summon Song and others for further questioning after analyzing seized evidence. (Yonhap)