The insurrection special counsel said of the court's decision on the 15th to dismiss the arrest warrant for former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, "We respect the court's decision but cannot accept it," adding, "We will promptly take steps to seek the court's judgment again."

Former Justice Minister Park Seong-jae, accused of participating in former President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of emergency martial law, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, Seoul, after completing a pretrial detention hearing on the afternoon of the 14th. /Courtesy of News1

Deputy Special Counsel Park Ji-young said at a media briefing that day, "Given the status of the Minister of Justice, the constitutional duties, and the gravity of the matter, it is hard to understand that (the arrest warrant for the former Minister was dismissed)."

Earlier, at about 1:30 a.m. that day, Seoul Central District Court warrant judge Park Jeong-ho dismissed the arrest warrant for the former Minister, who is suspected of insurrection critical-mission service and obstruction of the exercise of rights by abuse of authority, saying, "Concerns about flight and destruction of evidence have not been sufficiently substantiated." Park also said, "There is room for dispute over how the suspect came to recognize the illegality, the specific content of the illegality recognized, and whether and to what extent the measures taken objectively were illegal."

In response, Deputy Special Counsel Park said, "The parts cited by the court as reasons for dismissal are hard to accept," adding, "The suspect's recognition of illegality is an obvious fact that requires no dispute."

Park went on to say, "The dismissal reason that there is room for dispute regarding recognition of illegality is so far removed from objectively acknowledged facts that it cannot be accepted," adding, "The special counsel plans to promptly take steps to seek the court's judgment again."

Park also responded to a reporter's question, "The court seems to have determined that, based on the special counsel's evidence so far, the degree of recognition of illegality is not sufficient to justify detention; will you summon the former Minister again when reapplying for the arrest warrant?" by saying, "Our inability to accept the current reasons for dismissal means we can have the (decision) reviewed again under the current circumstances," adding, "However, whether additional investigation is necessary must be decided once more through internal discussion."

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