Special Prosecutor Summons Lawmaker Han Dong-hoon Over Martial Law Actions

Special Prosecutor Summons Lawmaker Han Dong-hoon to Clarify Actions During Martial Law

On August 6, 2026, the second special prosecutor team, led by Kwon Chang-young, officially notified independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon to appear for questioning as a witness on the 12th at 10 AM. This summons is aimed at understanding the specific discussions held at a high-level party-government-presidential meeting the day after martial law was declared in late 2024. The special prosecutor's office is focusing on clarifying the role Han, who was the leader of the People Power Party at the time, played in the process of declaring martial law and the immediate response system, as well as the substance of remarks made during the process of stabilizing the political situation after martial law was lifted. This is considered an essential procedure in handling residual suspicions arising from the so-called 'three special investigations' into sedition, allegations concerning First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and the case of the deceased Marine.

The scope of the special prosecutor's investigation is trending towards a comprehensive expansion. On the same day, the special prosecutor's office conducted a second investigation of former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong as a suspect on charges of abuse of power, in order to investigate allegations of preferential treatment in changing the route of the Yangpyeong Expressway. As he headed to the investigation room, Won emphasized that special prosecutor investigations should be subject to judicial judgment, raising questions about procedural legitimacy. Additionally, the special prosecutor's office carried out another search and seizure at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in relation to allegations of former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung's involvement in sedition. This series of actions is interpreted as a strategy to meticulously reconstruct the conduct of high-ranking public officials who were directly or indirectly involved in the unprecedented constitutional event of martial law.

Clash Over Investigation Procedures and Media Manipulation Allegations

Lawmaker Han Dong-hoon immediately countered the special prosecutor's summons notification, engaging in a direct confrontation. Han stated that he had not received the summons and criticized the announcement as media manipulation by a special prosecutor with political intentions. Conversely, the second special prosecutor team maintained its position that the date had been set and notification completed through official procedures. This confrontation has reignited the long-standing conflict between the ruling and opposition parties over the fairness and political neutrality of the special prosecutor's investigation. The Democratic Party of Korea has taken steps to maintain the momentum of the investigation by appointing lawyers Jo Doo-hyun and Jo Ki-yeon, and Sogang University Professor Ha Sang-eung as candidates for the election commission's special prosecutor recommendation committee.

The People Power Party also appointed lawyers Kim Yong-kwan and Choi Chang-ho, and Korea University Professor Cha Jin-ah as members, establishing a check mechanism in the special prosecutor candidate recommendation process. With both ruling and opposition parties completing the appointment of recommendation committee members, the election commission's special prosecutor candidate recommendation process is expected to fully commence. Some in the political sphere anticipate that the truth-seeking battles between those being investigated and the investigation team will intensify as the special prosecutor's investigation progresses. In particular, whether Han, who is currently a witness, will actually cooperate with the investigation is seen as a turning point in determining the intensity and direction of the special prosecutor's future investigation.

Mutual Influence of Criminal Justice System Reform and Special Prosecutor Investigations

This special prosecutor investigation is taking on a more complex aspect, intertwined with the ongoing discussions in the National Assembly regarding a comprehensive transformation of the criminal justice system. The amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, passed by the State Council on the 4th, includes a procedure for forwarding all 7 major criminal cases investigated by the police to the prosecution without concluding them. President Lee Jae-myung, in his work report to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, mentioned the scope of direct investigation by prosecutors, using the expression "all things return to their origin." This is evaluated as a reconfirmation of the will for judicial reform, aiming to reduce the direct investigative functions of the prosecution and strengthen its functions of indictment and post-indictment maintenance.

Amidst these legal and institutional changes, the results of the special prosecutor's investigation are expected to serve as important foundational data for defining the role and authority of the soon-to-be-established prosecution office. In particular, efforts are being made to improve the quality of judicial services, such as the promotion of supplementary legislation to ensure that prosecutors maximally listen to victims' opinions when they request interviews regarding the 7 major crimes targeting vulnerable groups. While the special prosecutor's investigation focuses on uncovering power-related corruption by high-ranking public officials, the National Assembly is pursuing a strategy to maximize synergy effects by concurrently undertaking meticulous reforms of criminal procedures that substantially impact the lives of citizens.

Future Investigation Schedule and Judicial Outlook

August 12, the date set for the summons of Lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, is expected to be a crucial day determining the success or failure of this special prosecutor's investigation. If Han refuses to appear or requests a schedule adjustment, the special prosecutor's office is highly likely to consider converting his status from witness to suspect or exploring coercive investigative measures. Concurrently, the fact that former Audit Board member Yoo Byung-ho, who was arrested for suspicions of providing preferential treatment in the relocation of the official residence, had his arrest legality reviewed but his detention was maintained, lends strength to the special prosecutor's investigation. The special prosecutor's office is also expected to concurrently summon and investigate the current Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, Choi Jae-hae, soon.

Legal experts assess that this special prosecutor investigation has entered a long-term process of piecing together the grand puzzle of martial law and the abuse of power, moving beyond past fragmented investigative methods. Amidst active discussions on economic policy legislation, such as the amendment to the Fair Trade Act that includes the establishment of a co-growth index for online platforms, there is an analysis that the speed of the special prosecutor's investigation into political matters could affect the momentum of policy promotion. Ultimately, although it is expected to take a considerable amount of time for the special prosecutor's investigation results to lead to trials and constitutional judgments, the ongoing summons and searches are themselves expected to act as powerful variables in reshaping the power dynamics within the executive and judicial branches.