The second comprehensive special prosecutor's team — led by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young and tasked with investigating allegations left unresolved after three earlier special counsel probes into insurrection, first lady Kim Keon Hee and a Marine's death — summoned independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon as a witness to obtain testimony about a party-government-presidential office meeting and a presidential safe house gathering that took place shortly after the Dec. 3, 2024, emergency martial law declaration. Han did not appear.
The team said it delivered a notice through Han's office on Aug. 4, ordering him to appear by 10 a.m. Wednesday for questioning as a witness in connection with the party-government-presidential office meeting. Han gave no response regarding his attendance and did not show up, the team said. He also did not submit a written explanation for his absence, according to officials.
"Given how little time remains in the investigation period, we are not considering summoning Rep. Han again," a special prosecutor's team official said.
The meeting in question was held on the afternoon of Dec. 4, 2024 — the day after then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law — and was attended by Han, who was then People Power Party leader, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and presidential chief civil affairs secretary Kim Ju-hyeon. That same evening, Minister Park, Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, Ministry of Government Legislation chief Lee Wan-gyu and Secretary Kim gathered at a presidential safe house.
The team said Tuesday it had demanded Han's appearance to "confirm the circumstances of his attendance at the party-government-presidential office meeting, what was discussed, and any connection to the subsequent safe house gathering." With Han failing to appear Wednesday, the probe was in effect called off.
The special prosecutor's team, which launched in February, began with a 90-day mandate extended twice by 30 days each and then by an additional month through legislation. It is scheduled to announce its final investigative findings on Aug. 24.
The team also indicted without detention on Wednesday former Korea Coast Guard chief Kim Jong-wook and former Coast Guard planning and coordination chief Ahn Seong-sik on charges of aiding insurrection and obstruction of rights through abuse of authority. The two are accused of abusing their official powers during the martial law period to expand Coast Guard personnel assigned to a joint investigation headquarters and attempting to make Coast Guard detention facilities available for use.
bell@heraldcorp.com
