(3rd LD) Ex-President Yoon questioned in martial law probe

(ATTN: UPDATES article as questioning ended)

SEOUL, July 5 (Yonhap) -- Former President Yoon Suk Yeol underwent a nine-hour questioning by the special counsel Saturday over allegations in connection with his botched imposition of martial law in December.

Yoon appeared for a second round of interrogation at the office of Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, in the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul, just a week after the first questioning.

A special counsel official said the questioning ended at around 6:30 p.m.

The special counsel spent the earlier hours probing Yoon over allegations that he attempted to block investigators from executing a court warrant to detain him in January.

Yoon is also suspected of directing the Presidential Security Service to delete records from secure phones used by several military commanders after his failed martial law bid.

In the afternoon, the interrogation focused on suspicions that Yoon had hastily convened a Cabinet meeting on the night he declared martial law in order to meet the quorum required to enforce the decree.

Earlier this week, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and two other ministers were questioned as part of the expanding investigation into Cabinet members involved on the night martial law was declared.

ejkim@yna.co.kr

elly@yna.co.kr
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