The special prosecution is investigating former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min on the 4th in connection with allegations that he directed power and water cuts to certain media outlets during the state of emergency on Dec. 3. This is the first summons investigation since the former Minister was arrested on the 1st.
The special prosecution is interrogating the former Minister, who is being held at the Seoul Detention Center, from around 10 a.m. on this day. The special prosecution is expected to ask the former Minister about the directives related to the power and water cuts during the state of emergency and the process of convening the Cabinet meeting before the declaration of the emergency.
The former Minister is accused of receiving directives on power and water cuts to certain media outlets from former President Yoon Suk-yeol during the Cabinet meeting for the declaration of the state of emergency on Dec. 3 last year and conveying this information to the fire and police authorities.
In connection with this, the former Minister has been detained since the 1st on charges of participating in a critical national task, abuse of power, and perjury. Previously, the special prosecution requested a warrant for the former Minister on the 28th of last month at the Seoul Central District Court, and the court issued the warrant, stating that there was a risk of evidence destruction.
The former Minister is also accused of giving false testimony at the Constitutional Court. The special prosecution believes that the former Minister's statement in February during the impeachment trial argument against former President Yoon, where he claimed, 'I have seen a piece of paper from a distance in the Presidential Office, but I have never accurately seen a document detailing the power and water cuts,' was false.