Special Prosecutor Team for Insurrection and Treason Raids Supreme Prosecutors' Office Over Alleged Martial Law Involvement by Park Sung-jae

[Financial News] The Special Prosecutor Team for Insurrection and Treason, led by Cho Eun-seok, conducted a search and seizure at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to investigate suspicions that former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae dispatched prosecutors during the December 3 martial law.
On the afternoon of the 1st, Park Ji-young, special prosecutor, stated at a regular press briefing held at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office that "this morning, we conducted a search and seizure at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in connection with former Minister Park's alleged involvement in major insurrection duties," adding, "The operation was completed within the morning." The special prosecutor team reportedly searched offices such as the Scientific Investigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
Former Minister Park is suspected of ordering follow-up measures during the December 3 martial law. At that time, he allegedly instructed the dispatch of prosecutors to the Joint Investigation Headquarters, checked detention capacity at detention centers, and ordered Ministry of Justice staff responsible for travel bans to remain on standby.
Meanwhile, on the 27th of last month, the special prosecutor team filed a disciplinary request with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against the defense attorneys of former Minister Kim Yong-hyun for repeated acts of contempt of court.
According to Article 11, Paragraph 1 of the Korean Bar Association (KBA) Attorney Disciplinary Rules, 'If the chief prosecutor of a district prosecutors' office discovers grounds for disciplinary action against an attorney during the performance of prosecutorial duties, they must request the KBA president to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the attorney.'
Ha-Sang Lee and Kwon Woo-hyun, attorneys defending former Minister of National Defense Kim, caused a disturbance in the courtroom during the insurrection trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on the 19th of last month. They also made insulting remarks to Presiding Judge Lee Jin-gwan, who ordered their detention to restore order.
On the 25th of last month, the Seoul Central District Court requested disciplinary action against Ha-Sang Lee and Kwon Woo-hyun from both the KBA and the Seoul Bar Association. The court cited their refusal to comply with the presiding judge's order to leave the courtroom, which disrupted proceedings and resulted in their detention, as well as repeated personal attacks and abusive language against the judge on YouTube broadcasts, as reasons for the disciplinary request.
kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-gyu Reporter