Now Targeting Former Prime Minister Han with Special Investigation... Mrs. Kim Keon-hee to be Summoned on the 6th

[Financial News]  With the successful securing of the former President Yoon Seok-yeol and former Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min, it is speculated that the next target of the special investigation team for rebellion and foreign affairs (led by Special Investigator Cho Eun-seok) will be former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
Given that former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyeon (military) and former Minister Lee (police and fire) were the 'two pillars' who could propose martial law, former Prime Minister Han is likely to be pointed out as a 'co-conspirator in rebellion' for his involvement in the decision-making and execution path before and after martial law.
According to the legal community on the 3rd, the special investigation team is reportedly seriously considering applying the charge of 'engaging in important duties of rebellion' to former Prime Minister Han. This charge applies to those who perform important duties, participate in conspiracies, or lead in rebellion.
The Prime Minister, under the President's command, oversees the administrative departments and directs and supervises the heads of administrative agencies. The proposal for martial law by the Minister of National Defense or the Minister of Public Administration and Security is also made through the Prime Minister to the President. The Prime Minister also serves as the vice-chairman of the Cabinet meeting.
Given the position's involvement in decision-making and actions before and after the martial law declaration, the special investigation team views him as a 'key co-conspirator' in illegal martial law-related rebellion. Former Prime Minister Han is already pointed out as a co-conspirator in the allegation that former President Yoon drafted and discarded a post-martial law declaration to address legal defects in the initial martial law declaration.
He also faces allegations of perjury at the Constitutional Court and National Assembly, claiming he was unaware of the martial law declaration.
The special investigation team summoned former Prime Minister Han on the 2nd to investigate the overall related suspicions and conducted a search and seizure of his residence, the Prime Minister's official residence, and the residence of former Chief Secretary Kang on the 24th of the same month to lay the groundwork.
The timing of securing former Prime Minister Han's custody is expected to be after summoning him once more to verify evidence analyzed from the seized materials. Unlike former President Yoon, former Prime Minister Han is reportedly not uncooperative with the investigation, suggesting that a detention warrant may be requested directly rather than an arrest warrant.
With the upcoming summoning of Mrs. Kim Keon-hee on the 6th, the Kim Keon-hee special investigation team (led by Special Investigator Min Joong-ki) is tightening the investigation by summoning former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun on the 4th. Despite difficulties such as key suspects fleeing abroad, the special investigation team is reportedly focusing on verifying parts of the 15-16 allegations that can be clarified first.
Mrs. Kim and former President Yoon are suspected of exerting influence to have former lawmaker Kim nominated in the June 1st National Assembly by-election in exchange for receiving illegal public opinion surveys from political broker Myung Tae-kyun during the 2022 20th presidential election. Mrs. Kim is also suspected of working to have former prosecutor Kim Sang-min run in the Changwon Uichang district of Gyeongnam, the constituency of former lawmaker Kim, in the April 10th general election last year.
Therefore, if Mrs. Kim appears, it seems likely that the investigation will first focus on whether such nomination interference is true. The allegations of solicitation by Geonjin Monk have not yet secured decisive evidence such as the diamond necklace and Chanel bag, and the stock manipulation allegations involving Sambo Construction are linked to Vice Chairman Lee Ki-hoon, known as the 'shadow power,' while the butler gate scandal involves Kim Ye-seong, who has fled to Vietnam. Other allegations, such as stock manipulation of Woori Technology and preferential treatment for the relocation of the official residence, have not yet been fully investigated. Mrs. Kim's side is also requesting specific investigation times and contents due to health reasons.
However, some in the political and legal circles reportedly believe that the investigation period for the Kim Keon-hee special investigation is inevitably extended due to the vastness of the allegations.




theknight@fnnews.com Jeong Kyung-soo Kim Dong-kyu Reporter