Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon speaks at the National Assembly on July 30 after the ruling party-led passage of a bill to fully abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers. [Yonhap]
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon speaks at the National Assembly on July 30 after the ruling party-led passage of a bill to fully abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers. [Yonhap]

The second comprehensive special prosecutor team, led by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young, said it notified independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon to appear as a witness to give testimony about a ruling party-government-presidential office meeting and a presidential safe house gathering that took place shortly after the Dec. 3, 2024, emergency martial law declaration — but has yet to receive a response.

The team, which is investigating allegations left unresolved after three earlier special prosecutor probes into insurrection, first lady Kim Keon Hee and the Marine corporal case, held a briefing Monday afternoon at its office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. "We notified Rep. Han of a summons as a witness for Wednesday at 10 a.m. to investigate matters related to the party-government-presidential office meeting, confirmed receipt at his office, but have not received any response to date," the team said.

The meeting in question took place on the afternoon of Dec. 4, 2024, the day after then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. Attendees included then-People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk and presidential Civil Affairs Secretary Kim Ju-hyun.

That same evening, Justice Minister Park, Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, Ministry of Government Legislation chief Lee Wan-gyu and presidential secretary Kim gathered at the presidential safe house. The special prosecutor team said it had notified Han of the summons on Thursday to determine the circumstances of his attendance at the party-government-presidential office meeting, what was discussed and any connection to the subsequent safe house gathering.

The team also said it indicted former Corrections Bureau chief Shin Yong-hae on Friday without detention on charges of playing a key role in the insurrection. Shin is accused of ordering Seoul Detention Center staff to prepare for the arrest and detention of those who violated the martial law decree and of directing the preparation of holding space for such detainees.

This week, the team plans to select indictment targets from among 11 suspects booked in connection with the National Intelligence Service's alleged involvement in the martial law declaration. The team has also booked former NIS First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won — who exposed a list of arrest targets immediately after martial law was lifted — on charges of playing a key role in the insurrection.

Also this week, the team plans to indict individuals linked to allegations that an investigation into stock price manipulation at Deutsch Motors involving first lady Kim Keon Hee was suppressed. Those booked include former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung, former Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office chief Lee Chang-su, former head of the office's Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit 2 Choi Jae-hun and prosecutor Seo Min-seok.

Regarding Marine Col. Park Jung-hun, who led the initial investigation into the Marine corporal case and transferred it to police, the team said it recently confirmed that a countermeasures task force was formed under the leadership of the Defense Security Command and the Ministry of National Defense's policy bureau during the Yoon administration.

On Friday, the team requested arrest warrants for former Defense Security Command chief Hwang Yu-seong and Col. Moon, who served as commander of a Marine unit seconded to the command, on suspicion of involvement in the handling of the Marine corporal case.

The warrant review hearing for former commander Hwang is scheduled for Wednesday at 10:10 a.m. before Seoul Central District Court Judge Lee Jong-rok, who handles warrant cases. Col. Moon's hearing before the same judge is set for 2:10 p.m. the same day.

The special prosecutor team launched in February and, after its 90-day base operating period plus two 30-day extensions and an additional one-month extension through legislation, will conclude its work on Aug. 23. The team plans to announce its final investigation results on Aug. 24.


bell@heraldcorp.com