South Korea: Prosecutors seize ex-defence minister's phone in martial law probe

Seoul, Dec 28 (IANS) South Korea's prosecutors have seized former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun's mobile phone to try to access phone calls he held during President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law, legal sources said on Saturday.

Kim was indicted on Friday on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection amid allegations he proposed declaring martial law to Yoon and ordered military officials to send troops to seal off the National Assembly on December 3.

The prosecution's special investigation headquarters handling the martial law case seized the phone on Thursday with a court-issued warrant and notified Kim's side to attend a forensic survey of the phone scheduled for next Monday, according to the sources.

Prosecutors earlier secured the phone when Kim voluntarily appeared for questioning on December 8, but Kim's side protested against what they said was illegal collection of evidence, Yonhap news agency reported.

Instead of returning the phone, prosecutors filed for a warrant and succeeded in securing the phone again.

Kim's lawyer, however, submitted an appeal before a court on Friday to overturn the seizure.

Earlier on December 27, South Korea's prosecutors indicted former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun under detention on charges of insurrection over his alleged role in the short-lived imposition of martial law this month.

The prosecution's special investigation team indicted Kim on charges of abuse of power and playing an "integral" role in an insurrection, marking the first indictment in the case on President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched declaration of martial law.

Prosecutors believe Kim recommended Yoon declare martial law, and led the deployment of troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission's offices during martial law.

Earlier on Friday, South Korea's Constitutional Court said it would swiftly proceed with President Yoon's impeachment trial as it wrapped up the case's first hearing, with the next hearing on the trial set for January 3.

The court made the announcement during the preparatory hearing for the trial on the validity of Yoon's impeachment by the National Assembly this month over his failed imposition of martial law on December 3, Yonhap news agency reported.

"The case on the President's impeachment is more important than any other case," Justice Cheong Hyung-sik, one of the judges for the preparatory proceedings, said, noting the court first deals with cases that are "most urgent."

"The date was decided by considering the seriousness and gravity of the impeachment trial's impact on state affairs and the public," Justice Lee Mi-son, another Constitutional Court judge, said, referring to the date of the next hearing.

The hearing brought together the legal representatives of both Yoon and the National Assembly for the first time to lay out their cases, present their list of witnesses and evidence, and coordinate the dates of future proceedings.

Yoon, who was not required to attend the hearing, did not appear as expected.

During the hearing, Yoon's lawyers said they would dispute the legality of the request for the impeachment trial, apparently referring to possible procedural issues regarding Yoon's impeachment motion at the National Assembly.

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