Special counsel questions ex-PM, other ministers in martial law probe

A special prosecutor investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law Wednesday summoned former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and two other ministers, in a widening probe into then Cabinet members on the night of martial law imposition.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk has been checking whether Yoon abused his power or some Cabinet ministers cooperated with the botched martial law bid on Dec. 3 last year, when the ousted president imposed martial law.

Han and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun appeared for questioning earlier in the day, but they declined to comment to reporters upon entering the special counsel’s office.

Cho’s team has been looking into allegations that another document on martial law declaration was written shortly after Yoon declared martial law.

Han reportedly signed the document drafted by Kang Eui-gu, former secretary at the presidential office, but later requested it to be discarded.

The special counsel team later summoned Science and ICT Minister Yoo Sang-im and questioned him over his attendance or absence at Cabinet meetings held around Yoon’s declaration of martial law.

Yoo is known to have been absent from the meeting that took place shortly before the declaration but present at the meeting convened hours later to lift the order.

The questioning came as Yoon’s lawyers said the former president will appear for the special counsel team’s second round of questioning Saturday.

In a press briefing held later in the day, Park Ji-young, a deputy to the special counsel, said the team was also investigating Kim Jeong-hwan, former senior official at the office of the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Kim is known to have received an order from Yoon to call the then Cabinet members, including Ahn, former Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and incumbent Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung, to the Cabinet meeting held before the martial law declaration.

Park also said the special counsel is maintaining the travel ban imposed on Han.