The consolidated special prosecutor's team — investigating remaining allegations from three separate special counsel probes into insurrection, first lady Kim Keon Hee and the death of a Marine — wrapped up its second interrogation of former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday after about nine hours.
According to legal sources, Yoon left the special prosecutor's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, in a Ministry of Justice transport vehicle at around 6:45 p.m., exiting through the below-ground parking garage before returning to Seoul Detention Center.
He arrived at the office at around 9:42 a.m. and, beginning at 10 a.m., was questioned as a suspect on rebellion charges. He was also questioned as a reference witness in the case against former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-su on charges of playing a key role in insurrection, as well as in a separate probe into alleged blacklisting by the Defense Security Command.
The special prosecutor's team prepared a questionnaire of more than 100 pages for the session, with seconded prosecutors and Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim Jeong-min directly participating in the interrogation.
Unlike during his first session, Yoon responded actively to the special prosecutor's questions this time, sources said.
The team is investigating allegations that Yoon conspired with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, former Army Chief of Staff Park An-su and others to dispatch armed soldiers to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, inciting a riot.
Defense attorneys who accompanied Yoon to the special prosecutor's office pushed back, questioning whether rebellion charges could properly be applied to a former commander in chief and arguing that Yoon should be cleared of all charges.
They also argued that the factual basis of the rebellion charges overlaps with that of the insurrection leadership charges already filed, amounting to double indictment.
While rebellion charges under military law apply only to military personnel, the special prosecutor's team believes the charges can extend to civilians found to have conspired with soldiers.
Under the Military Criminal Act, the ringleader of a rebellion carried out by an armed group faces the death penalty. Those who participate in planning a rebellion, serve in key roles such as command, or commit acts of killing, destruction or looting during a rebellion may face the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a prison term of seven years or more.
ygmoon@heraldcorp.com
