CCTV footage from the presidential office’s reception room, recorded before and after the declaration of martial law on December 3 last year, was released in court during the trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The footage showed Han moving around busily, examining documents that other Cabinet members had received from then-President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 33 (Presiding Judge Lee Jin-kwan) held the second hearing on October 13 for Han, who has been indicted without detention on charges including aiding and abetting insurrection, perjury, and falsification of official documents. The court allowed the entire session to be broadcast live.

During the session, prosecutors presented CCTV evidence from the presidential office on the day martial law was declared. The special counsel team, led by Cho Eun-seok, showed excerpts from 32 hours of footage filmed in areas such as the reception room and the presidential office hallway, focusing on scenes involving Han. The footage, classified as “Level 3 military secret,” was made available after the Presidential Security Service stated that portions related to Han’s trial could be publicly released and recorded for broadcast.

The video showed Han holding two documents as he exited the presidential office and entered the reception room at around 9:10 p.m. on December 3, 2024, the night martial law was declared, after being briefed on the plan by former President Yoon. At around 9:47 p.m., Han was seen reading the documents with other Cabinet members and then tucking them into his back pocket. The prosecution claimed that these documents contained Yoon’s special directives.

The footage also suggested Han was aware of Yoon’s instructions to other ministers. When then–Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul left the reception room, leaving behind a document he had received from Yoon, Han was seen picking it up himself. He was also seen conversing privately for 16 minutes with then–Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, exchanging documents shortly after the declaration. The special counsel team argued, “As prime minister, the defendant assisted the insurrection by helping manage the president’s orders.” Han had previously testified during Yoon’s impeachment trial that he had never received any martial law–related documents and had not seen other Cabinet members receive such documents.

The footage also captured Han nodding when Yoon rose to declare martial law and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun raising four fingers, signaling that the Cabinet did not meet the quorum, while moving between the offices to confer with Han. Prosecutors said Han had convened the Cabinet meeting to give an appearance of legitimacy to the martial law declaration, arguing that “the prime minister’s show of support strengthened Yoon’s resolve to carry out the coup.”

Han’s defense counsel responded, “We do not dispute the contents of the CCTV footage itself, but the prosecution’s interpretation of it is merely their opinion,” adding that they would submit a written statement clarifying the significance of Han’s actions.

Presiding Judge Lee directly asked Han, “Given that martial law poses a serious threat to citizens’ lives and safety, what measures did you take as prime minister to protect the people?”

Han straightened his posture and replied, “I urged other Cabinet members to clearly express their opinions during the meeting. That was my effort.” When the judge pressed further, saying, “That’s not what I meant. What specific measures did you take as armed troops confronted civilians?” Han responded, “As a Cabinet member, I believed the most important thing I could do was to express my stance through the meeting,” failing to give a direct answer.

The court also heard testimony from Kim Young-ho, then–Unification Minister, who was the first to arrive in the reception room before the declaration. Kim testified that during the brief “five-minute Cabinet meeting” right before the declaration, he did not recall Han voicing any objection to martial law.

Han, who as prime minister had a constitutional duty to check the president’s abuse of power, is accused of aiding and abetting the illegal declaration of martial law by failing to stop it. He is also charged with drafting a revised proclamation to correct legal flaws in the initial declaration and with perjury during Yoon’s impeachment trial.