Han Dong-hoon criticizes travel ban extension as 'childish power play' by 'political special prosecutor'

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, elected from Busan's Buk-gu A district in the June 3 by-election, criticized the comprehensive special prosecutor's office Friday for extending his travel ban again, calling it a "childish power play."

Han posted on Facebook alongside a screenshot of his travel ban status, saying the "political special prosecutor of the Lee Jae Myung administration" was engaged in a "childish power play." "On Friday, June 12, they extended my travel ban again — with no reason given and nothing done," he wrote.

He then directed a pointed challenge at the special prosecutor's office. "I ask the political special prosecutor of the Lee Jae Myung administration: what grounds are there to slap Han Dong-hoon with a travel ban three times? What have you been doing all this time while keeping Han Dong-hoon under a travel ban?" he said.

The previous day, Han said his travel ban was set to expire Friday and that the special prosecutor's office had never even contacted him — adding that whether it chose to extend the ban or not would be a "comedy."

Han has characterized the travel ban as an attempt to damage his reputation ahead of the Busan Buk-gu A election.

The comprehensive special prosecutor's office, which is investigating allegations left unresolved after three earlier special counsel probes, previously said it imposed the travel ban after receiving a complaint naming Han as a subject in connection with allegations that the presidential office under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration improperly interfered in the Suwon District Prosecutors Office's investigation.

The special prosecutor is investigating allegations that the presidential office under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration improperly interfered in the Suwon District Prosecutors Office's probe into the Ssangbangwool illicit remittances-to-North Korea case.