Former prime minister's home raided in martial law probe, interrogation likely to follow
Published: 24 Jul. 2025, 19:14
Updated: 24 Jul. 2025, 21:55
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo leaves the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on July 2 after being questioned on the Dec. 3 martial law imposition. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/24/cc1137ed-dac2-4c1a-8db6-b1573528d262.jpg)
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo leaves the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on July 2 after being questioned on the Dec. 3 martial law imposition. [NEWS1]
The team investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration raided the home of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday, marking the first time he has been subject to compulsory investigation related to the case.
Investigators from the special counsel team, led by Cho Eun-seok, executed search warrants at Han’s residence in Jongno District, central Seoul, and the official prime minister’s residence in central Seoul's Samcheong-dong.
The search came 22 days after Han appeared for questioning on July 2. The raid of his private home lasted for approximately six hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:46 p.m. Investigators also searched the home of Kang Eui-gu, former secretary at the presidential office.
Han is suspected of creating, signing and discarding a post facto martial law proclamation to retroactively legitimize the proceedings. The special counsel believes Han acted as an accomplice in the creation and use of false official documents and damaging of public records.
According to investigators, the document in question was drafted on Dec. 4, the day after the martial law declaration, by Kang, with Han later adding his signature. It was discarded after former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was arrested. The special counsel is investigating whether Han actively participated in the sequence of events surrounding the document’s creation and destruction.
![Investigators probing the Dec. 3 martial law imposition load confiscated items into a vehicle after searching the residence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/24/adb572fe-6a68-4acc-a846-d719ce0e9323.jpg)
Investigators probing the Dec. 3 martial law imposition load confiscated items into a vehicle after searching the residence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The special counsel is also focusing on Han’s proposal to convene a Cabinet meeting just before Yoon imposed martial law. Prosecutors suspect this was an attempt to give the declaration a veneer of legal legitimacy. Han’s legal team maintains that the suggestion intended to allow other Cabinet members to express their views, not to endorse the move "because Yoon was so adamant."
The investigation is probing whether Han, as one of the country's top decision-makers at the time, failed to voice opposition to the martial law plan during Cabinet discussions and later endorsed it by signing the post facto document — thus neglecting his responsibilities as then-prime minister. The allegation is that Han failed to fulfill his role as a Cabinet member in checking presidential power during a major constitutional crisis.
Separately, investigators are also scrutinizing Han’s February testimony before the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court, in which he claimed he was initially unaware that a martial law proclamation was tucked into the back pocket of his suit. Surveillance footage from the presidential office’s reception area and corridors appears to show Han inspecting a related document on another Cabinet member’s desk, contradicting his account.
Based on evidence collected in the raids, the special counsel plans to summon Han for additional questioning.
“A follow-up summons is likely based on materials seized during the search,” said assistant special counsel Park Ji-young during a press briefing on Thursday. Some observers believe the team may move to detain Han, citing the gravity of the allegations.
Meanwhile, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min is scheduled to appear for questioning on Friday. Lee is suspected of ordering the cutoff of water and electricity to certain media outlets just before the martial law declaration and attending a clandestine meeting in Samcheong-dong on Dec. 4 with Yoon’s legal advisers the same day the martial law was lifted.
![Investigators probing the Dec. 3 martial law imposition load confiscated items into a vehicle after searching the residence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/24/b520a77e-185c-40b9-bf76-a551c0ea4290.jpg)
Investigators probing the Dec. 3 martial law imposition load confiscated items into a vehicle after searching the residence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Investigators are looking into whether that meeting involved further plotting of a second martial law declaration or discussions on how to manage the aftermath.
“Given the wide range of allegations surrounding former Minister Lee, we intend to verify the facts as thoroughly as possible,” Park said.
Also under investigation is former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who reportedly received a memo about budgeting for a national emergency legislative body under martial law. Choi testified in February that a staffer close to the president had handed him the paper but that he'd disregarded it, saying such a scenario of martial law was “unthinkable.” The special counsel plans to verify the veracity of that claim.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SUK GYEONG-MIN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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