Han Dong-hoon Fails to Receive Witness Summons Due to Absence... Special Prosecutor Says 'Continuing Efforts to Gather Evidence'

[Financial News] It has been confirmed that Han Dong-hoon, former leader of the People Power Party, has once again failed to receive a witness summons issued by the Special Prosecutor Team for Insurrection and Treason, led by Cho Eun-seok. While the special prosecutor continues to wait for Han's appearance, they have also stated their intention to proceed with other evidence-gathering procedures.
According to legal sources on the 21st, Jeon Eun-jin, judge at the Seoul Central District Court, sent a witness summons to Han on the 2nd. However, the summons could not be delivered on the 15th because the door was closed and no one was present. Pretrial witness examination is a procedure in which, if a witness refuses to appear or testify during an investigation, the court is requested to summon the witness before the first trial to secure their testimony.
Previously, the court accepted the special prosecutor’s request and scheduled pretrial witness examinations for Han on the 23rd of last month and the 2nd of this month. However, both sessions could not proceed due to his absence. The court has now rescheduled the hearing for the 23rd, but with the summons undelivered again, the possibility of another postponement has increased.
At the hearing on the 2nd, the court asked the special prosecutor to consider withdrawing the request for witness examination if Han does not appear at the next session.
The special prosecutor’s team is still leaving open the possibility of Han’s appearance. Park Ji-young, deputy special prosecutor for insurrection, stated at a regular briefing that, 'Since the 23rd has not yet arrived, it is difficult to comment prematurely on what will happen that day,' adding, 'The grounds for requesting Han’s witness examination remain valid.'
Park further explained, 'The purpose of Han’s witness examination is not only to establish the facts but also to gather as much evidence as possible from various perspectives regarding the situation.' She added, 'Even if Han is not questioned, we are still making every effort to collect evidence through other means.'
scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter