The Seoul Central District Court rejected a request for an arrest warrant for Han, citing that there is "room for legal dispute" over his alleged role in the debacle late last year, which eventually led to Yoon's ouster from office in April of this year. The court also dismissed prosecutors' concerns that he might destroy evidence.
Prosecutors had sought Han's arrest on charges of dereliction of duty, perjury, and document falsification, believing that he conspired with Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to prepare documents related to Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.
Han, who initially denied all allegations, claiming he only learned of Yoon's plan to declare martial law during a late-night cabinet meeting that day, recently admitted he was aware of it after CCTV footage and other evidence emerged.
Han reportedly insisted through his lawyers that he did not collude with Yoon, arguing that the urgently convened cabinet meeting lasted only a few minutes, leaving him no time to object to Yoon's plan.
Among the former cabinet members, Kim and ex-Interior Minister Lee Sang-min have been arrested on related charges and are currently detained at separate remand prisons.
Prosecutors are now weighing whether to file another request for an arrest warrant against Han.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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