Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo Questioned Again Over Allegations of Abetting Emergency Martial Law

Special Prosecutor Questions Han Ducksoo Again
Decision on Arrest Warrant to Be Made After Reviewing Testimony
Allegations of Abetting Martial Law and Perjury Under Investigation

Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo is appearing on the 22nd at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the special prosecutor team led by Cho Eunseok, investigating the December 3 emergency martial law-related internal rebellion and foreign exchange cases, has set up its office. Photo by Yonhap News

Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo was summoned again on August 22 by the special prosecutor's team for internal rebellion (Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok) in connection with suspicions of abetting or participating in the December 3 emergency martial law. The special prosecutor's team plans to review Han's statements and other evidence from the day before deciding whether to request an arrest warrant.

At around 9:25 a.m. on the same day, Han arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, where the special prosecutor team’s office is located. He did not respond to reporters' questions such as "Do you still deny the allegations of abetting internal rebellion?" and proceeded directly to the interrogation room.

Previously, on August 19, the special prosecutor's team had summoned Han and questioned him for over 16 hours, focusing on the circumstances of the Cabinet meetings before and after the emergency martial law, as well as the process of drafting the subsequent martial law proclamation. It is reported that Han actively answered questions without invoking his right to remain silent, even during late-night questioning.

Han is suspected of abetting or participating in securing procedural legitimacy for the illegal martial law. Han signed a document prepared by Kang Uigu, former Presidential Secretary, after the declaration of martial law. However, a few days later, Han reportedly requested, "If it becomes known that a post-event document was created, it could cause further controversy, so let's pretend it never happened," and the document was ultimately destroyed.

The special prosecutor's team is also investigating circumstances in which Han, after the declaration of martial law, questioned the legality of the martial law and the need for its termination, such as asking, "Is it alright that none of the Cabinet members supported the martial law?"

In addition, Han faces charges of perjury for allegedly testifying in the Constitutional Court and the National Assembly that he was not aware of the martial law proclamation. In February, Han testified in the National Assembly that "I was not aware of the martial law proclamation at all until the Cabinet meeting to lift it, and only later found it in the back pocket of my suit." However, the special prosecutor's team has obtained CCTV footage from the Presidential Office showing Han reviewing the martial law documents and related materials.

The special prosecutor's team also secured records of a phone call between former People Power Party floor leader Chu Kyungho and Han immediately after the martial law was declared. The team confirmed that on December 3, 2024, at 11:12 p.m., Chu and Han spoke for more than seven minutes. During this call, Han reportedly told Chu, "All Cabinet members opposed it, but former President Yoon Sukyeol pushed ahead with the emergency martial law."

The special prosecutor's team conducted a search and seizure of the National Assembly Secretariat the previous day in connection with suspicions of obstructing the National Assembly’s resolution to lift martial law. The team reportedly searched the National Assembly Secretariat in Yeouido, Seoul, to secure closed-circuit (CC) TV footage from the main building. This is the first time the special prosecutor's team has launched a compulsory investigation into the National Assembly Secretariat. It was confirmed that the search and seizure warrant named former floor leader Chu as a suspect in connection with obstructing the National Assembly's resolution to lift martial law.

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