Lee Sang-min, the former Minister of the Interior and Safety, who is accused of ordering power and water cuts to media outlets during the December 3 emergency martial law, is at a critical juncture regarding detention.
Judge Jeong Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court is conducting a detention warrant review for the former minister, who is charged with engaging in critical duties related to treason, starting today (31st) at 2 PM.
As Lee appeared in court for the detention warrant review, he did not respond to reporters’ questions, such as whether he ordered power and water cuts to the fire chief, whether he deemed the media power and water cuts problematic, the contents of the document held by the presidential office, or whether he admitted to perjury in the Constitutional Court.
Seven prosecutors, including Special Prosecutor Lee Yoon-je and Chief Prosecutor Kuk-weon, attended today’s detention warrant review. The treason special investigation team submitted a roughly 300-page statement of opinion related to the necessity of detention the day before yesterday (29th) and prepared a 160-page PowerPoint presentation for today’s review.
Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young stated, “The opinion primarily contains evidence related to the most critical allegations and focuses on the severity of the crime, the risk of reoffending, the necessity of detention, and concerns about evidence destruction.”
When asked whether there is evidence of Lee appearing on the presidential office CCTV with documents suspected to contain details on power and water cuts, Special Prosecutor Park mentioned, “Of course, those parts seem to be evident.”
Previously, the Jo Eun-seok special investigation team, which is investigating allegations of treason and foreign aggression related to the December 3 martial law, filed for Lee’s detention warrant on the 28th. The special investigation team applied charges of engaging in critical duties related to treason, abuse of authority, and perjury.
Lee is accused of having instructed the fire department to cut power and water to media outlets under the orders of former President Yoon Seok-yeol during the martial law. The special investigation team believes that former President Yoon handed Lee a document instructing him to “block Hankyoreh, Kyunghyang Newspaper, MBC, JTBC, and public opinion polling through the fire department by cutting power and water.”
Additionally, Lee is also charged with providing false testimony during the impeachment trial of former President Yoon at the Constitutional Court last February. At that time, he denied seeing a document about power and water cuts on the table at the presidential office before the martial law declaration, and also denied instructing the fire chief to take such actions.
However, the special investigation team has since secured CCTV footage from the presidential office showing Lee with a document suspected to contain information about power and water cuts and is investigating this further.
Meanwhile, the treason special investigation team has requested National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik for an investigation as a witness regarding parliamentary disruptions and is coordinating the timing and method. Moreover, the team has decided not to make additional summoning requests to lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, who strongly opposed the request for investigation as a witness, stating, “He has clearly stated he does not intend to appear.”
Special Prosecutor Park added, “If Representative Ahn comes forward willingly with a desire to actively cooperate in fact-finding, we would welcome him anytime.”
[Photo credit: Yonhap News]
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