Special Prosecutor Completes Search of People Power Party Floor Leader's Office... Materials Provided Voluntarily

Special Prosecutor Executes Warrant Under Criminal Procedure, Concludes One Day Before Deadline
Voluntary Submission of Materials Replaces Search Amid Strong Opposition
Former Floor Leader Chu Kyungho at Center of Vote Obstruction Allegations

The special prosecutor's team led by Cho Eunseok, which is investigating suspicions of obstructing the vote to lift martial law, completed its search and seizure of the People Power Party's floor leader's office after three days.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the legal community on September 4, the special prosecutor's team executed a search and seizure warrant for the floor leader's office in accordance with criminal procedure, after reaching an agreement with the People Power Party. The warrant was set to expire on September 5, and the execution took place just one day before the deadline.

Previously, the special prosecutor's team had attempted to search the floor leader's office twice, on September 2 and 3, but both attempts were thwarted as People Power Party lawmakers staged a sit-in protest inside the National Assembly, strongly opposing the move. The People Power Party has argued that the period covered by the search, starting from May of last year, is excessively broad, and has denounced the investigation as political oppression.

However, after three days of negotiations, the special prosecutor's team and the People Power Party reached an agreement on how and under what procedures the materials would be secured, and the warrant was executed on this day. The People Power Party provided the requested materials voluntarily.

The special prosecutor's team is investigating allegations that former floor leader Chu Kyungho of the People Power Party interfered with lawmakers' participation in the vote to lift martial law by repeatedly changing the location of the party caucus at the request of former President Yoon Sukyeol's side. The previous day, the team searched Chu's home, office, and vehicle, and also included in the search the office of lawmaker Cho Jiyeon of the People Power Party and the mobile phones of party secretariat staff.