SEOUL — South Korean police have interrogated Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duck-soo regarding the brief decision to declare martial law, an official from his office confirmed on Dec 20.

Han was among 12 attendees of a Cabinet meeting on Dec 3, held shortly before President Yoon Suk-yeol's unexpected late-night announcement of martial law. According to the Yonhap news agency, nine of those present have been questioned by a special police unit investigating the matter.

Han, a seasoned technocrat, assumed the role of acting president after Yoon's impeachment through a parliamentary vote on Dec 14.

While the official did not specify the timing of Han's questioning, they noted it occurred before his appointment as acting president. Yonhap reported that Han is being investigated as a suspect.

Earlier this month, the main opposition Democratic Party filed a police complaint against Han, accusing him of insurrection. Han has previously stated that he opposed the martial law declaration, which Yoon rescinded after just six hours due to backlash from lawmakers.

Yoon now faces a Constitutional Court trial to determine whether he will be removed from office or reinstated with full presidential authority following his impeachment. He is also under investigation for whether the martial law declaration amounted to insurrection—one of the few charges a South Korean president is not immune from.

A team of legal experts and opposition lawmakers, acting as prosecutors in the impeachment trial, convened on Dec 20. "We are here today to fulfill our historic responsibility to impeach Yoon Suk-yeol," stated Jung Chung-rae, a lawmaker and chair of the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee leading the effort. The team includes a former Constitutional Court judge who participated in the impeachment trial of ex-president Park Geun-hye.

The joint investigative team, composed of police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, has summoned Yoon for questioning on Dec 25 after he failed to respond to an earlier summons this week. Police attempts to search Yoon's office for evidence were thwarted when the presidential office security service denied them entry.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are preparing for confirmation hearings for new Constitutional Court judges next week, a move the ruling party has vowed to boycott. The Constitutional Court currently operates with only six judges, leaving three seats vacant. Disputes persist over whether an acting president has the authority to appoint new judges. Notably, an acting president appointed a judge during the impeachment of Park Geun-hye in 2017.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file