Seoul court rejects warrant for ex-prosecutor in martial law case

The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday rejected an arrest warrant for former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung, a same-day setback for the special counsel inquiry into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law bid. The court said prosecutors had not shown enough risk that Shim would flee or destroy evidence. [0]

Shim is suspected of reviewing whether prosecutors should be dispatched to a joint martial law investigation body on Dec. 3, 2024, the night Yoon declared martial law. Investigators say then-Justice Minister Park Sung-jae spoke with Shim three times that night and directed the review; Park was sentenced in June to 25 years in prison over his role in the episode. koreaherald

The warrant request also covered a separate abuse-of-power allegation tied to Yoon’s release from detention last year. Investigators accuse Shim of overriding internal recommendations to immediately appeal a court order canceling Yoon’s detention, after the court questioned the legality and timing of the case against him. Shim denied the allegations during Thursday’s hearing. yna

The ruling also spared former senior prosecutor Jeon Moo-gon from arrest. Jeon is accused of assisting Shim while serving in a senior planning role at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Chosunbiz reported that the court found little risk that either former official would flee or destroy evidence, citing the progress of the investigation and the materials already secured. koreatimes

The decision matters because the special counsel team is nearing the end of its mandate after seeking warrants for senior legal and security officials tied to the martial law inquiry. The team has argued that Shim and Jeon played important roles in alleged insurrection-related work; defense arguments have framed the prosecutors’ actions as legal review rather than participation in a rebellion. biz +1

The case leaves investigators with less leverage as they try to decide whether to bring charges without custody. It also keeps attention on the role of prosecutors and justice officials during the brief martial law attempt, not only on Yoon and military figures. koreaherald +1