The special prosecutor is conducting a search of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's residence on the morning of the 24th.
The special prosecutor noted that investigators began searching the former Prime Minister's residence in Jongno, Seoul, around 8:30 a.m. that morning. The special prosecutor considers Han Duck-soo to be a suspect related to charges of inciting insurrection and perjury.
The search that day also included the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong and the home of former Presidential Office Deputy Minister Kang Yi-goo.
Former Prime Minister Han is suspected of having agreed with former President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of a state of emergency on Dec. 3 of last year. The special prosecutor believes that Han signed the 'post-emergency declaration document' created after the end of the state of emergency and then ordered its destruction. Former Deputy Minister Kang is reported to have drafted this post-emergency declaration document.
The special prosecutor is also said to suspect that Han's testimony, claiming he 'was not aware of the emergency declaration document' in the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court, was false.
During a National Assembly hearing on Feb. 6, Han stated, 'At the time of the emergency declaration, I was not aware of the declaration document at all, and I realized I had it in the back pocket of my suit after the State Council meeting to lift the emergency.' On the 20th of the same month, he said during the impeachment trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, 'I really don't remember when and how I received that.'
However, there are reports that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage secured by the special prosecutor and Han's statements contain discrepancies. The footage reportedly shows Han examining documents related to the state of emergency during a State Council meeting held on the day of the declaration.
Previously, on the 2nd, Han appeared before the special prosecutor and was questioned for about 13 hours and 40 minutes before returning home. It was 22 days later that the special prosecutor launched a search of Han.