Rebellion Special Prosecutor "Han Duck-soo, if he had fulfilled his role, martial law would not have been declared"

[Financial News]  The Rebellion and Foreign Affairs Special Prosecutor Team (Cho Eun-seok Special Prosecutor) emphasized that former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo actively supported martial law, stating, "If he had fulfilled his role as Prime Minister, the 12·3 martial law would not have been declared."
Park Ji-young, the rebellion special prosecutor, said this during a press briefing on the morning of the 28th, pointing out, "Even if we do not expect the best role, shouldn't he have refrained from acts of support?"
He further explained, "There was active conduct beyond mere omission," and questioned, "How can we prosecute on the grounds that he did not do what he should have done before and after the martial law cabinet meeting?"
Regarding the court's dismissal of the arrest warrant for the former prime minister, he said, "We respect the court's decision," but added, "There is regret from the perspective that such a historical tragedy should never happen again through the severity of the law."
He continued, "Like the October Yushin or the May 18 incident in the past, martial law by those in power was for the monopoly of power and the will to power," and pointed out, "Those around power took their own interests through neglect or cooperation beyond it." He also argued, "To prevent a repetition of history like in the past, the public will agree that high-ranking officials in positions to prevent martial law should be held strictly accountable."
Regarding concerns about investigation setbacks due to the dismissal of the former prime minister's warrant, he emphasized, "The actions and intentions of the related parties are all different, and the legal application accordingly is also different for each," and "there will be no setbacks or obstacles in proceeding with future investigations."
Previously, the special prosecutor team applied for an arrest warrant for the former prime minister on charges of aiding and abetting rebellion, believing that he not only failed to prevent former President Yoon Seok-youl's declaration of martial law but also supported it through active conduct. Judge Jeong Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court, in charge of warrants, dismissed the warrant the previous day, stating, "There is room for dispute regarding the important facts and the legal evaluation of the suspect's series of actions."


kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-kyu Reporter