SEOUL, Aug 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - South Korean prosecutors on Sunday filed an 
arrest warrant for former prime minister Han Duck-soo, accusing him of aiding 
ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol in declaring martial law in December and later 
lying in court.

A court is set to review the validity of the warrant to detain the 76-year-
old career bureaucrat in the coming days.

If approved, it would be the first time in South Korean history that both a 
former president and a prime minister are imprisoned.

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee is also behind bars on stock manipulation 
charges.

"Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant against Han on charges including 
aiding the ringleader of insurrection, perjury, fabricating official 
documents, and damaging public records," prosecutor Park Ji-young told 
reporters at a news briefing.

As prime minister, Han stood "as the foremost state institution guaranteeing 
the president's duty to safeguard the nation and the constitution", she said.

"These considerations regarding the role of the prime minister formed the 
basis of today's request."

Yoon's stunning December 3 martial law declaration saw armed soldiers deploy 
to the National Assembly but was swiftly voted down by opposition MPs, 
leading to his impeachment.

Yoon was formally removed from office in April by the Constitutional Court, 
which ruled that his martial law declaration -- the first in more than 40 
years -- violated the constitution.

Han assumed Yoon's post as acting president and was once seen as a strong 
candidate of the conservative bloc to run in a snap election.

He resigned from the role in May to pursue a presidential bid, which soon 
collapsed when Yoon's party refused to nominate him as its standard-bearer.