SEOUL, South Korea – The special prosecution team investigating the controversial December 3rd emergency martial law declaration has escalated its probe, summoning former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun for questioning. This marks a significant development in the investigation into allegations of rebellion and procedural irregularities surrounding the short-lived martial law imposed by then-President Yoon Suk-yeol. The intensified scrutiny comes as former President Yoon himself faces a high-stakes rebellion trial, with the possibility of a death sentence, and new allegations emerge concerning his alleged attempts to incite foreign aggression as a pretext for the declaration.

Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk's team called in both Han and Ahn on Wednesday, July 2nd, with Han Duck-soo appearing at the special prosecutor's office within the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at approximately 9:52 AM. He declined to answer reporters' questions regarding suspicions that he signed and subsequently destroyed a separate document prepared after the martial law declaration. Minister Ahn Duk-geun also arrived for questioning, similarly refusing to comment on the ongoing investigation.

The December 3rd Martial Law and Its Immediate Aftermath 

The martial law declaration, issued by President Yoon Suk-yeol at 10:27 PM KST on December 3, 2024, plunged South Korea into an unprecedented political crisis. It was the first such declaration since 1979 and immediately drew widespread condemnation. In a televised address, Yoon accused the then-majority Democratic Party (DPK) in the National Assembly of engaging in "anti-state activities" and establishing a "legislative dictatorship," purportedly in collaboration with "North Korean communists." The sweeping decree prohibited political activities, including parliamentary gatherings, and suspended press freedom. Reports also surfaced that Yoon had ordered the arrest of various political opponents, including leaders from both the ruling People Power Party and the opposition DPK. International and domestic news organizations, along with South Korean politicians, widely characterized the event as an attempted self-coup.

The declaration ignited immediate public protests across the nation, met with strong opposition from across the political spectrum. In a swift and resolute response, 190 legislators convened at the National Assembly Proceeding Hall and, by 01:02 AM on December 4th, unanimously passed a motion to lift martial law. This vote occurred despite reported attempts by the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command to obstruct the legislative process. Facing overwhelming opposition, former President Yoon and his cabinet officially lifted martial law at 04:30 AM on December 4th and subsequently disbanded the Martial Law Command.

The fallout from the martial law declaration was immediate and severe. The National Assembly promptly initiated impeachment proceedings against Yoon, culminating in a successful vote on December 14, 2024, which suspended him from his presidential duties. Following his impeachment, then-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assumed the role of acting president. Yoon himself was later arrested on January 15, 2025, after repeatedly defying summons and attempts by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) to execute an arrest warrant related to the rebellion charges.

Allegations of Procedural Illegality and Document Tampering 

At the heart of the Special Prosecutor's current inquiry are serious allegations of procedural illegality and attempts to retroactively legitimize the martial law declaration. The special prosecution team is focusing on suspicions that former Presidential Secretary for Presidential Affairs Kang Eui-gu created a new martial law declaration statement after the December 3rd proclamation. This new document, crucially, was allegedly drafted because the initial declaration distributed to cabinet members lacked the necessary signature fields for the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense.

According to the ongoing investigation, former Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs Kim Joo-hyun had inquired about the existence of a signed document, prompting Kang Eui-gu's actions. It is alleged that Kang subsequently obtained the signatures of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun on this retrospectively created document. Crucially, this alleged signing by Han and Kim Yong-hyun reportedly took place on December 5th, a full day after martial law had already been lifted by parliamentary vote.

Adding to the gravity of the allegations, reports indicate that former Prime Minister Han, after signing the document, later requested Kang to destroy it, citing concerns that its retroactive existence could provoke further controversy. Although former President Yoon reportedly stated he saw no issue with the ex post facto handling of the matter, he ultimately instructed Kang to comply with Han's request, and the document was subsequently destroyed. Furthermore, Kang Eui-gu is also suspected of forging the official minutes of the cabinet meeting where Yoon first announced his intention to declare martial law, reportedly extending a roughly five-minute meeting into a fabricated forty-minute record. These actions raise profound questions about the integrity of the process and whether former President Yoon’s administration attempted to conceal procedural violations.

Han Duck-soo's Role Under Scrutiny 

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s involvement has been a contentious point since the martial law crisis began. During his impeachment trial, Han maintained his innocence, asserting that he opposed Yoon's martial law declaration and had no active role in its planning or the mobilization of troops. He claimed to have attempted to block the declaration during the cabinet meeting. However, legal representatives for the National Assembly argued that Han’s convening of the cabinet meeting effectively helped Yoon meet the procedural requirements for martial law, regardless of his personal objections. While a Constitutional Court ruling ultimately led to his reinstatement as Prime Minister on unrelated impeachment grounds in March 2025, the special prosecutor’s current summons indicates a renewed focus on his actions during and immediately after the December 3rd event. His alleged role in signing and then requesting the destruction of the post-declaration document is central to the current probe into covering up the martial law's procedural illegality.

Broader Implications and Ongoing Investigations
 

The summoning of Han Duck-soo and Ahn Duk-geun is part of a much broader and increasingly aggressive investigation. On December 27, 2024, the National Assembly voted to establish a special committee to investigate insurrection charges against Yoon, initially set to conclude its work by February 13, 2025. Subsequently, after Yoon's impeachment and the election of President Lee Jae-myung, new legislation was overwhelmingly passed in June 2025, approving sweeping special investigations into Yoon's martial law imposition, corruption allegations against his wife, and other incidents. These newly approved probes, which can involve hundreds of investigators, signal a determined effort to uncover the full scope of alleged wrongdoing.

The special prosecutor's investigation has already expanded beyond the immediate events of December 3rd. Notably, Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok's team reportedly obtained a voice recording suggesting that former President Yoon directly ordered drone incursions over Pyongyang. Prosecutors view this as potential evidence that Yoon not only sanctioned the drone flights but sought to provoke a North Korean military response, which could have then served as a fabricated pretext for declaring emergency martial law. This new dimension could see the rebellion charges broaden to include allegations of inciting foreign aggression, significantly escalating the legal stakes for the former president.

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was questioned by the special counsel on June 28, 2025, refused further questioning, citing issues with an investigator. He also skipped a subsequent summons on July 1st, prompting the special prosecutor to issue a new summons for July 5th, warning that an arrest warrant could be sought if he fails to comply again. This ongoing defiance highlights the contentious nature of the probe and the deep political divisions in South Korea following the unprecedented martial law crisis. The Special Prosecutor’s team appears resolute in its pursuit of all individuals involved in the martial law declaration and its aftermath, aiming to bring clarity and accountability to a pivotal moment in the nation's democratic history.