Prosecution Extends Detention of Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun by 10 Days Despite 'Refusal to Testify'

Detention Period Extended Until the 28th
Refusal to Testify After President Yoon's Statement on the 14th

The detention period for former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, who is accused of engaging in important duties related to the internal rebellion in connection with the '12·3 Emergency Martial Law Incident,' has been extended until the 28th.

According to the legal community on the 17th, the Special Investigation Headquarters for Emergency Martial Law (headed by Park Se-hyun, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office) applied for an extension of Kim's detention period the day before and received approval from the court on the same day. Therefore, Kim's detention period, which was scheduled to expire on this day, has been extended by ten days until the 28th.

The prosecution appears to have requested the extension considering that Kim continues to refuse to testify and that investigations into other key persons involved in the case are still ongoing.

Under the Criminal Procedure Act, a prosecutor may extend the detention period once, with the court's approval, for no more than 10 days.

Kim voluntarily appeared for questioning by the prosecution on the 8th of this month, was urgently arrested afterward, and the detention period was set to expire on this day, ten days later.

It is reported that Kim has continuously refused to testify and has not cooperated with the investigation since the announcement of President Yoon Seok-yeol's statement on the 14th.