Police have sent a request for a second appearance to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. This is to investigate whether Prime Minister Han knew about the martial law declaration plan before and after the December 3 declaration.
A representative of the Special Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency noted at a regular press briefing on the 30th that they decided to send a second appearance request to Prime Minister Han on the 28th, and it would likely be dispatched today.
Prime Minister Han, who is reportedly being investigated as a suspect, has already undergone a private face-to-face investigation following the first appearance request from police. It has been conveyed that Prime Minister Han is the first attendee of the Cabinet meeting before and after the martial law for whom the police have requested a second appearance.
In this investigation, police are expected to re-examine the timeline of when Prime Minister Han became aware of the martial law declaration plan. The reason police are revisiting this issue is due to claims from former defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun's side.
The legal team for former Minister Kim stated on the 26th that according to Kim's testimony, 'prior to the martial law proposal, a report was made to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and the proposal was made according to procedures to the President.' When this comment sparked controversy, they clarified that it meant 'the martial law was discussed with the Prime Minister before President Yoon attended the Cabinet meeting, and then it was proposed and deliberated before the President entered.' They added that it was an event in the Cabinet meeting regarding the martial law, and there was no prior discussion with Acting Authority Han before the Cabinet meeting.
The Prime Minister's Office countered this by stating that they had received 'no report of any kind related to the martial law declaration plan until hearing it directly from President Yoon Suk-yeol in the Yongsan presidential office around 9 p.m. on the 3rd.'
The police also revealed that they are currently investigating 45 individuals, including active-duty soldiers, as suspects related to the martial law situation. They are particularly investigating suspicions that martial law forces attempted to arrest National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik shortly after a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law was passed. The military forces involved were from the Capital Defense Command, and the investigation is based on testimonies from dispatched personnel.
Meanwhile, the civic group 'Candlelight Action' has filed charges with the police against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, who served as acting president. They allege that Acting Authority Choi and other Cabinet members, along with National Assembly members from the People Power Party, are involved in ▲participating in and aiding the coup conspiracy ▲premeditation and conspiracy of rebellion ▲abuse of authority and dereliction of duty ▲violation of the National Intelligence Service Act.
Police also noted that they are considering applying foreign currency crime charges against No Sang-won, a former intelligence commander who was detained for allegedly participating in activities related to martial law as a civilian accomplice of former Minister Kim. As for the case of Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok, it is reported that Jeong had not appeared by the morning of the requested appearance date.