▲ This undated file photo, provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shows Lee Eun-woo, former president of the state-funded KTV cable channel. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

special counsel-ex-TV channel chief

Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-KTV head on charges of promoting insurrection

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team on Monday sought an arrest warrant for a former chief of a state-funded cable TV channel on charges of promoting insurrection related to the 2024 martial law attempt by former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The special counsel team investigating various allegations linked to the failed Dec. 3 martial law imposition filed for a court warrant to arrest Lee Eun-woo, former president of the KTV channel, on insurrection propaganda charges, officials said.

Lee is accused of directing the newsroom to heavily cover Yoon's martial law declaration to justify the move, while blocking or deleting reports critical of or opposed to it.

Prosecutors suspect that Lee also excluded news about lawmakers or political parties, as well as the National Assembly that opposed the martial law decree.

Lee has already been indicted and is standing trial on charges of abuse of authority for allegedly ordering the removal of broadcast captions featuring politicians' remarks stating that the martial law declaration was illegal and unconstitutional.

The special counsel team has demanded a five-year prison term for Lee on the abuse-of-power charges.

KTV is operated by a public policy broadcasting service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

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