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Park Sung-jae, former minister of justice, arrives at the office of Special Counsel Jo Eun-seok’s team at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on October 23. / Source: Yonhap News

Jo Eun-seok’s special counsel team on alleged insurrection re-summoned former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae for questioning as a suspect on October 23. It is his first appearance since a court rejected his arrest warrant on October 15.

Arriving around 3 p.m., Park was asked about the team’s stated plan to seek a new warrant after questioning. He replied, “I will answer faithfully in the interview room.”

Previously, the team questioned Park for about 13 hours on September 24 and then sought an arrest warrant on October 9. On October 15, however, the court denied the request, saying there was room for dispute over how Park came to recognize any illegality, the specific content of that recognition, and whether, and to what extent, actions taken were unlawful.

In response, the team conducted supplemental investigations, summoning attendees of a ministry directors’ meeting that Park convened during the emergency martial-law period, including then–Legal Affairs Bureau chief Koo Sang-yeop and Human Rights Bureau chief Seung Jae-hyun. On October 22, investigators also executed an additional search and seizure of Park’s mobile phone.

Based on Park’s statements and analysis of seized materials, the special counsel plans to secure further evidence to establish his awareness of illegality and is expected to reapply for an arrest warrant.