Martial Law Inquiry: Special Counsel Doubles Down, Pursuing Ex-Minister's Arrest

**Special Counsel Intensifies Pursuit of Ex-Justice Minister in Martial Law Probe**

Martial Law Inquiry: Special Counsel Doubles Down,...

Seoul – A special counsel investigating the alleged attempt by former President Yoon Suk Yeol to impose martial law has renewed its efforts to detain former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, submitting a second arrest warrant application on Tuesday. This move comes after the Seoul Central District Court rejected the initial warrant request last month, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to justify Park's detention.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team alleges

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team alleges that Park played a pivotal role in the controversial martial law plan, which is now being investigated as a potential act of insurrection. Specifically, Park is accused of ordering preparations for the dispatch of prosecutors to a martial law command structure, placing immigration officials on standby to implement travel bans, and directing the Korea Correctional Service (KCS) to evaluate the capacity of detention facilities.

Undeterred by the previous rejection, the special counsel has intensified its investigation, re-summoning Park for questioning and re-seizing his mobile phone. According to Cho's team, this renewed scrutiny has yielded new evidence, leading to the confirmation of additional criminal charges against the former Justice Minister.

The key piece of new evidence appears to be a computer file discovered by investigators. This file allegedly contains a draft document prepared by the Justice Ministry outlining the legal justification for the imposition of martial law under Yoon's leadership. The existence of this document bolsters the special counsel's claim that the martial law plan was not merely a contingency measure, but a deliberate strategy being actively developed within the government.

Furthermore, the special counsel revealed that

Furthermore, the special counsel revealed that the KCS informed Park that detention centers in the Seoul metropolitan area had the capacity to accommodate approximately 3,600 additional inmates. This information, investigators argue, suggests that preparations were underway to detain a significant number of individuals in the event martial law was declared.

The renewed push for Park's arrest signals the special counsel's commitment to pursuing the investigation despite initial setbacks. The court's decision on this second warrant application will be closely watched, as it could significantly impact the direction and momentum of the ongoing probe into the alleged martial law plot. The case continues to be a politically sensitive issue, raising questions about the extent to which the former administration considered deploying martial law and the potential implications for democratic institutions.