The second special counsel on the 26th launched an additional search and seizure of the National Policy Committee chairperson's office at the National Assembly used by People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Han-hong in connection with alleged favoritism in the presidential residence transfer.
Special Counsel Kim Ji-mi said at a briefing that day, "We are conducting a search and seizure of the National Policy Committee chairperson's office at the National Assembly in connection with the allegations over the residence transfer," adding, "It is to look into suspicions of involvement by lawmaker Yoon Han-hong." Yoon has served as National Policy Committee chairperson at the National Assembly since June 2024.
Earlier, on the 16th, the special counsel searched and seized Yoon's residence and office, securing related materials. However, the National Policy Committee chairperson's office was excluded at the time. Special Counsel Kim explained, "Because Yoon did not cooperate, including by not providing his mobile phone password, we executed an additional warrant today."
The special counsel also said it completed execution of a search and seizure warrant for a person surnamed Park, a Coupang employee who worked on the presidential office transfer task force (TF). Park reportedly served as an administrative officer in the Presidential Secretariat's Office of the Secretary for Management at the time and, as part of the TF, handled tasks such as preparing to open Cheong Wa Dae to the public.
At the core of the alleged favoritism in the residence transfer is that 21Gram, which does not have a general construction license, won no-bid contracts for the presidential office and residence transfer and expansion work after former President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May 2022, receiving special favors. The previous probe by the Kim Keon-hee special counsel said that Yoon, who was then the head of the Cheong Wa Dae transfer TF team, was involved as the Presidential Transition Committee moved the residence to Hannam-dong in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. However, citing a lack of time for investigation, the special counsel did not indict Yoon and handed the case over to the Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation (NOI), after which the second special counsel took over the case and is continuing the probe.
The special counsel also said it is investigating allegations that the military and the Korea Coast Guard took part in the Dec. 3 emergency martial law. Hong Chang-sik, the Ministry of National Defense's Director for Legal Affairs Management, was summoned that day as a reference witness and is being questioned. Former Korea Coast Guard Director General for Planning and Coordination Ahn Sung-sik has been booked as a suspect.
Ahn is accused of arguing for staff to carry firearms and for dispatching investigative personnel to the Joint Investigation Headquarters at a nationwide commanders' video conference held immediately after the declaration of martial law. During the previous administration, Ahn was seconded to the presidential office and was promoted from senior superintendent to chief superintendent general over two years.
The special counsel also said that on the 24th it visited the Seoul Detention Center to request cooperation for a summons during the interrogation of a detained suspect. Recently, indications were captured that a drone was flown near the special counsel's office to film the interior, and a preliminary inquiry into the matter has begun.