South Korean court allows broadcast of CCTV footage showing ex-PM Han at presidential office

Seoul, Oct 13 (IANS) A Seoul court said on Monday it has allowed the broadcast of surveillance camera footage allegedly showing former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo picking up martial law-related documents at the presidential office last December.

The bench overseeing Han's insurrection trial at the Seoul Central District Court said during the second hearing that the footage will be examined as evidence and shown to the public, as the special counsel team prosecuting Han has claimed its broadcast is possible even though it is classified as a Grade 3 military secret.

The former prime minister is standing trial on charges of abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed imposition of martial law in December.

The footage in question allegedly shows him leaving a Cabinet meeting room at the presidential office on December 3, carrying papers printed with the martial law declaration and Yoon's address to the nation.

Han attended a Cabinet meeting shortly before Yoon declared martial law that day.

The special counsel team had initially requested that the footage examination portion be excluded from a broadcast of the trial's first hearing last month due to national security considerations, Yonhap news agency reported.

The team said it later inquired with the Presidential Security Service to declassify the video and received a response that effectively permitted the broadcast.

In addition to abetting the martial law imposition, Han is accused of drafting a revised proclamation after December 3 to enhance the legitimacy of the decree, and lying under oath at the Constitutional Court that he was unaware Yoon had given him a copy of the martial law declaration.

Earlier, on September 30, Han Duck-soo had attended the first hearing of his trial on charges of abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed imposition of martial law.

Han Duck-soo is a South Korean diplomat, economist, and politician who served as the acting president of South Korea in December 2024 and from March to May 2025 and as the prime minister of South Korea from 2007 to 2008 and from 2022 to 2025.

Han is the fifth person to hold the prime minister's office twice, having served under Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Yoon Suk Yeol. He also held office as the minister of economy and finance from 2005 to 2006, the ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2012, and the chairman of the Korea International Trade Association from 2012 to 2015.

After the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol on December 14, 2024, Han became the acting president of South Korea. Thirteen days later, Han himself was also impeached by the National Assembly of South Korea due to his refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills that sought to investigate the impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, along with failing to appoint three National Assembly-designated candidates for the Constitutional Court of Korea.

This ended his role as acting president and suspended his powers as prime minister, with both duties being transferred to Choi Sang-mok.

--IANS

int/jk/sd