South Korea: Police analysing Yoon’s phone records in martial law probe

South Korea’s police are analysing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s personal phone records as part of their investigation into his failed declaration of martial law earlier this month, officials said.

The police special investigation team handling the case is examining the records for conversations with individuals allegedly involved in the imposition of martial law on December 3, after securing them through a warrant, Yonhap news agency reported.

Police are also working to obtain a secure phone used by Yoon and its records from the Presidential Security Service.

Separately, police have acquired a document Yoon handed to Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok during a Cabinet meeting held shortly before the martial law declaration.

The document reportedly outlined measures to cut off operational expenses for the National Assembly and to form a budget for the legislature under martial law.

On December 13, Choi told lawmakers that the document called for securing fiscal funds and liquidity under martial law.

So far, the police have questioned ten of the 12 attendees of the December 3 Cabinet meeting, with Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho appearing before them on Saturday.

They have yet to question Yoon and former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

Police believe the meeting had procedural and substantive issues due to the absence of meeting minutes and documents proving that deliberations took place.