Focus of Insurrection Special Investigation Team on Finding 'Insurrection' Collaborators

[Financial News] The Special Investigation Team for Insurrection and Foreign Affairs (Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok) is focusing on finding collaborators in the emergency martial law declaration by former President Yoon Seok-yeol on December 3.
The special investigation team summoned and investigated former Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min on the 25th.
On the 25th, from around 10 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., former Minister Lee, who was investigated for about 19 hours, did not answer any questions from reporters about whether he acknowledged the allegations of ordering power and water cuts this time or what conversation he had with former Prime Minister Han Deok-su in the presidential office reception room.
Former Minister Lee is accused of ordering power and water cuts to media outlets at the direction of former President Yoon during the emergency martial law on December 3 last year. The special investigation team is considering whether to apply charges of engaging in important insurrection duties to former Minister Lee in this regard.
Park Ji-young, the assistant special prosecutor for insurrection, explained in a briefing that day, "We are reviewing the application of charges based on the administrative duties of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security under the Government Organization Act and the constitutional responsibilities as a cabinet member."
He also answered the reporters' question, "Can charges of engaging in important insurrection duties be applied even if power and water cuts were not executed?" by saying, "The facts we know can change at any time through further investigation," and "We will decide later what charges to apply based on the specific facts confirmed."
The special investigation team reportedly secured a statement that former Minister Lee called during the martial law and instructed, "If there is a request for power and water cuts to specific media outlets from the National Police Agency, cooperate," while investigating Fire Commissioner Heo Seok-gon as a reference on the 23rd.
The special investigation team is examining whether former Minister Lee qualifies as an 'accomplice' who actively assisted former President Yoon's martial law based on these investigation results.
The special investigation team launched a full-scale investigation by conducting a search and seizure of former Minister Lee's residence, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, and the Fire Commissioner's office on the 17th.
The special investigation team plans to decide on further summons after investigating the overall allegations raised against former Minister Lee. If it is determined that he is an 'accomplice to insurrection,' there is a high possibility of requesting an arrest warrant.
Meanwhile, the special investigation team conducted a search and seizure of former Prime Minister Han Deok-su's residence, the Prime Minister's official residence, and the residence of Kang Yi-gu, former chief of staff of the presidential office, on the 24th to verify what role was played in the cabinet meeting held before and after former President Yoon's emergency martial law declaration.
Former Prime Minister Han is suspected of either participating in or at least aiding and abetting former President Yoon's illegal emergency martial law declaration. The special investigation team believes that as one of the top national leaders at the time, he did not actively prevent the martial law declaration and instead tried to provide procedural legitimacy. 


kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-kyu Reporter