Special Prosecutor Raids Home of Former Minister Sangmin Lee Over Alleged Orders to Cut Off Utilities During Rebellion Investigation

Suspicion of Plotting a Second Martial Law and Measures for Managing the Situation

On July 17, the special prosecutor team led by Eunseok Cho, which is investigating charges of rebellion, launched a compulsory investigation into former Minister of the Interior and Safety Sangmin Lee.

Former Minister of the Interior and Safety Sangmin Lee appeared at the special committee on the national investigation into the allegations of rebellion through the declaration of martial law by the Yoon Seokyeol administration held at the National Assembly on the 4th and explained the reason for refusing to take the witness oath. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

On the morning of July 17, the special prosecutor team sent prosecutors and investigators to Lee's residence in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to secure related materials.

Lee is suspected of having relayed instructions from former President Seokyeol Yoon to the police and the National Fire Agency immediately after the declaration of the 12·3 martial law in December last year, ordering them to cut off electricity and water supplies to certain media company buildings.

He is also suspected of having met with former Presidential Chief of Civil Affairs Juhyun Kim, former Minister of Justice Sungjae Park, and former Minister of Government Legislation Wankyu Lee at the presidential guesthouse in Samcheong-dong on the day martial law was lifted, and of conspiring to discuss a second martial law declaration and measures to manage the situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.