SEOUL: Police have issued a second summons to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for questioning regarding his involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law. The investigation, led by a special team, is probing the circumstances surrounding the declaration made on December 3.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the special investigation unit decided to issue the summons on Saturday and likely delivered it on Monday. This follows Han's initial questioning regarding his participation in a Cabinet meeting held shortly before President Yoon announced the martial law declaration. Notably, Han is the first Cabinet member from that meeting to be summoned for questioning twice.
Investigators are expected to focus on the timeline of Han's knowledge of the martial law plan, as claims have emerged that former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun informed Han of the plan before it was suggested to President Yoon. Han's office, however, maintains that the prime minister was unaware of the plan until President Yoon revealed it during the Cabinet meeting.
In a related development, Han has been suspended from his duties after the opposition-controlled National Assembly impeached him last week. The impeachment was based on his refusal to use his presidential powers, as acting president, to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court.