South Korea: Former prosecution chief shows up for special counsel questioning over martial law

Seoul, Sep 21 (IANS) Former South Korean Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung on Sunday appeared for questioning by a special counsel team as part of its investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid.

Shim appeared at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office at around 9:54 a.m. to attend the questioning by special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team. He did not respond to questions by the press over allegations of his involvement in the imposition of martial law.

Cho's team has been investigating allegations that Shim received an order from then Justice Minister Park Sung-jae to send prosecutors to a joint investigation headquarters shortly after Yoon's martial law declaration on December 3, reports Yonhap news agency.

Shim is suspected of having held three phone calls with Park overnight from December 3-4.

The special counsel is also reportedly looking into allegations that a prosecutor from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office was dispatched to the National Election Commission (NEC) on the day of the martial law declaration.

Earlier this year, Yoon acknowledged that he ordered sending troops to the offices of the NEC during his martial law declaration, as he had suspicions about election fraud.

Cho's team is also said to be investigating why Shim did not challenge a court's decision in March to release Yoon, who had been indicted with physical detention on charges of insurrection, from detention.

Shim's decision helped Yoon stand trial without detention until he was taken into custody for the second time in July when the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant requested by Cho's team.

--IANS

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