"Han Duck-soo is also an accomplice"… Special Investigation Team details former President Yoon's arrest warrant

The Special Investigation Team on the Insurrection, led by Jo Eun-seok, has confirmed that former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been named as an accomplice in the preparation and disposal of the post hoc martial law declaration in former President Yoon Seok-yeol's arrest warrant.

It is reported that the Special Investigation Team is also considering filing an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Han.

According to the arrest warrant requested by the Special Investigation Team on the 6th, Kang Yi-goo, former head of the Presidential Secretariat, prepared a new martial law declaration on December 5 of last year, the day after the martial law was lifted, after receiving instructions from then-Chief of Staff Kim Joo-hyun that "the President’s actions in accordance with the law should be documented, and that the Prime Minister and the relevant ministers must act accordingly."

"Preparation of post hoc martial law declaration… Prime Minister and Defense Minister 'post hoc signing'"

Kang subsequently received signatures from former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

According to the investigation results, the declaration document distributed by Minister Kim on the day of the initial martial law proclamation (December 3 of last year) did not contain signature lines for the Prime Minister or the Defense Minister.

The Special Investigation Team concluded that former President Yoon colluded sequentially with Kang, Han, and Kim to complete a 'martial law declaration document including a signature line.'

"Order for document disposal… Accomplice in violation of the Presidential Records Act"

The issue arose thereafter. On December 8, former Prime Minister Han called Kang and requested the disposal of the document, stating, "If it becomes known that a document was created after the fact, it could lead to another controversy, so let's disregard my signatures."

The Special Investigation Team believes that former Prime Minister Han participated in the disposal of the martial law declaration and also noted accomplice charges of violating the Presidential Records Act and damage to public documents in former President Yoon's arrest warrant.

The stance of the Special Investigation Team is clear. They argue that the martial law appeared to be based on documents executed by the Prime Minister and Defense Minister, and that the post hoc declaration was prepared and disposed of for the purpose of presenting it during impeachment or investigative proceedings.

"Former Prime Minister Han's side: 'Out of procedural organization… not an intention to dispose'"

In response, former Prime Minister Han’s side explained, "When he received the signature request from Kang, it was to confirm that the document existed," adding that their intention was to procedurally organize matters by reviewing the relevant departments thereafter.

The Special Investigation Team is reportedly also in the final stages of considering the necessity of filing an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Han, independent of former President Yoon's arrest.

Image source: Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo / News1, News1