Court dismisses arrest warrants for former top prosecutors over rebellion allegations

A Seoul court on Thursday dismissed arrest warrants for former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and former Deputy Prosecutor General Jeon Mu-gon. They are suspected of involvement in a rebellion during the emergency martial law declared on December 3, 2024, and of abusing their power by abandoning an immediate appeal.

Presiding Judge Boo Dong-sik stated that the court found insufficient evidence regarding the risk of fleeing or destroying evidence, considering the defense's arguments and the collected evidence. The court also deemed it unlikely that they would flee, given the ongoing investigation and trial.

Shim is accused of reviewing the dispatch of prosecutors to the joint investigation headquarters for martial law on December 3, 2024, under the direction of then-Justice Minister Park Sung-jae. Records show Park instructed the dispatch during a Justice Ministry meeting that evening and spoke with Shim three times that night and into the early morning. The special prosecution team suspects Shim was involved in drafting a document titled "Jurisdiction Under Martial Law" by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office immediately after the martial law declaration.

Shim also faces charges of abuse of power for allegedly preventing an immediate appeal after a Seoul court in March 2024 canceled the arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk-yeol. At the time, the special investigation headquarters for the prosecution proposed seeking an appeal to a higher court, but Shim reportedly blocked it, citing constitutional concerns.