The second team of the comprehensive special counsel led by Kwon Chang-young sought an arrest warrant for former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung on charges of participating in insurrection.
The comprehensive special counsel said in a media notice on the 13th that it sought arrest warrants for former Prosecutor General Shim and former Supreme Prosecutors' Office Planning and Coordination Chief Jeon Mu-gon (prosecutor general) on charges of performing important duties in an insurrection and abuse of authority by obstructing the exercise of rights.
Former Prosecutor General Shim is accused of reviewing the dispatch of prosecutors to the martial law joint investigation headquarters on Dec. 3, 2024, when former President Yoon Suk-yeol declared emergency martial law, under instructions from former Minister of the Ministry of Justice Park Sung-jae. The special counsel is focusing on the fact that Park had three phone calls with Shim at the time martial law was declared.
After the declaration of emergency martial law, former Prosecutor General Shim is also accused of discussing response measures for crimes that would fall under the jurisdiction of the Court-martial and of being involved in drafting a document titled "Court jurisdiction under emergency martial law." The special counsel obtained this document while searching the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. It is known to contain a summary of trial and investigative jurisdiction on the premise of a proclamation of emergency martial law.
Former Prosecutor General Jeon is accused of assisting former Prosecutor General Shim as planning and coordination chief during martial law and being involved in drafting the document and discussing trial jurisdiction.
Former Prosecutor General Shim is also under special counsel investigation over the so-called "Deutsch Motors probe cover-up allegations" related to first lady Kim Keon-hee, but the current arrest warrant is said not to include the abuse of authority charge.
The schedule for the suspect interrogation before detention (substantive warrant review) has not yet been set.