The special investigation team led by Cho Eunseok, tasked with probing the insurrection and treason allegations related to the 12·3 Martial Law Incident, will conduct its first interrogation of former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sangmin following his detention on the morning of August 4.
On August 3, the special investigation team announced to the media, "We have requested the appearance of the former minister at 10 a.m. tomorrow." Previously, the team had applied for an arrest warrant for Lee Sangmin on charges including participation in key insurrection duties, abuse of authority, and perjury at the Seoul Central District Court on July 28, and the warrant was issued on August 1.
The special investigation team is expected to summon Lee Sangmin, who is currently held at Seoul Detention Center, to the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office building, and specifically verify the timing at which he became aware of the martial law declaration plan, the details of the power and water cutoff orders he received from former President Yoon, and the process of convening the cabinet meeting prior to the declaration. After these confirmations, it is anticipated that the team will proceed to indict him while he remains in custody.
The special investigation team believes that although Lee Sangmin was the minister in charge of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which is responsible for martial law in peacetime, he failed to prevent the illegal declaration of martial law and in effect condoned it.
Furthermore, the team determined that he committed acts of "subversion of the constitutional order" by relaying instructions to the National Police Agency and the National Fire Agency to cut off power and water to media outlets, thereby infringing on both press freedom and citizens' rights to life and safety. Through these actions, he was found to have sequentially participated in the insurrection crimes of former President Yoon.
Former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sangmin, who is accused of power and water outages at media companies, perjury, and engaging in important duties related to rebellion, remained silent in response to reporters' questions as he appeared before the Special Investigation Team for Rebellion (Special Prosecutor Jo Eunseok) in Seocho-dong, Seoul on the 25th of last month. Photo by Jo Yongjun
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