On the 17th, the insurrection special prosecutor is conducting a search and seizure at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Officials are moving with the seizure search box in front of the Special Investigation Office for Insurrection established at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. /Courtesy of News1

According to the legal community, the insurrection special prosecutor has been conducting a search and seizure at the security department of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Naeja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, since around 5 p.m. on this day.

This search and seizure is reported to be aimed at securing materials related to allegations that former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min ordered a suspension of electricity and water to specific media outlets during the state of emergency on Dec. 3.

In connection with this, the insurrection special prosecutor also conducted a search and seizure at nine locations, including the residence of former Minister Lee, the Korea Fire Agency, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Sejong Government Complex, starting from the morning of this day.

Former Minister Lee is facing allegations of abuse of power for having instructed suspensions of electricity and water to certain media outlets during the state of emergency. It is reported that he sequentially called Chief of the Korean National Police Agency Jo Ji-ho and Chief of the Korea Fire Agency Heo Seok-gon to convey the orders.

Former Minister Lee is also under suspicion of having discussed the government's follow-up response to the state of emergency and the possibility of a second state of emergency with former senior presidential secretary Kim Joo-hyun, former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, and former Minister of Legislation Lee Wan-kyu at the presidential residence in Samcheong-dong on Dec. 4, the day the state of emergency was lifted last year.

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