Yonhap News

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon did not comply with the special prosecutor's team's request to appear as a witness regarding allegations of President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife's interference in nominations.

Former leader Han did not show up at the special prosecutor's team's office, located in the KT Gwanghwamun Building West in Jongno-gu, by 2 p.m. on the 10th, the scheduled time for the witness examination.

The special prosecutor's team publicly requested his appearance in a briefing on the 4th, but former leader Han immediately announced his intention not to attend via social media.

At the time, former leader Han stated, "As the person who led the People Power Party during the general election, I will not comply with the divisive attempt by special prosecutor Min Jung-ki, appointed by the Democratic Party, our rival party during the general election."

The special prosecutor's team stated that they had attempted to coordinate an investigation schedule with former leader Han since August, but he did not respond to any calls, text messages, or mail.

The special prosecutor's team requested former leader Han's appearance as a witness to hear explanations about his remarks in the media, to the effect that he had a conflict with former President Yoon after being asked to nominate former Deputy Prosecutor General Kim Sang-min around the general election last year and refusing.

The core of the nomination interference allegations is that former Deputy Prosecutor General Kim requested nomination for the April 10 general election last year by giving artwork by painter Lee U-hwan to Mrs. Kim. This was during the period when former leader Han exercised nomination power.

It is known that Mrs. Kim actually pressured former lawmaker Kim Young-sun, whose constituency was Changwon Uichang-gu, ahead of the general election, with the intention of "supporting the election of Prosecutor Kim Sang-min in Uichang-gu."

Although former Deputy Prosecutor General Kim was eliminated (cut off) during the nomination review process, he was appointed as a legal special advisor to the National Intelligence Service four months later, in August last year.

The special prosecutor's team arrested and indicted former Deputy Prosecutor General Kim on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act on October 2nd and has been investigating Mrs. Kim for bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes.