Court Dismisses Arrest Warrant for Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo: "No Risk of Evidence Destruction or Flight"

Court: "There Is Room for Dispute Over Legal Assessment"

The arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, who is accused of aiding and abetting rebellion and perjury, has been dismissed.

Former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo, who is accused of aiding and abetting former President Yoon Sukyeol's acts of rebellion, is leaving the Seoul Central District Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 27th after completing the pre-arrest detention hearing and is heading to the waiting area at Seoul Detention Center. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 27th, Chief Judge Jeong Jaeuk, who is in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, dismissed the arrest warrant after completing the pre-arrest detention hearing for former Prime Minister Han, stating, "There is room for dispute regarding the legal assessment of key facts and the series of actions taken by the suspect."

Chief Judge Jeong explained, "Considering the evidence secured so far regarding the charges in this case, the progress of the investigation, and the suspect's current status, it is difficult to conclude that there is a risk of evidence destruction beyond the exercise of the right to defense."

He added, "Taking into account the suspect's career, age, residence and family relationships, attendance during the investigation process, and attitude during statements, it is also difficult to see a risk of flight."

Previously, on the 24th, the Special Prosecution Team for Rebellion (led by Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok) requested an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Han on six charges: aiding and abetting the leader of a rebellion, perjury, falsification of official documents, use of falsified official documents, damage to official documents, and violation of the Act on the Management of Presidential Records.

Former Prime Minister Han, who served as the "No. 1 state official" and Deputy Chair of the Cabinet, is accused of failing to prevent and instead abetting former President Yoon Sukyeol's illegal proclamation of emergency martial law last year. He is also accused of recommending the convening of a Cabinet meeting prior to the proclamation of martial law to give the appearance of procedural legality, as well as drafting and discarding a subsequent proclamation to address legal flaws in the initial martial law declaration.