A special counsel team investigating the December 3 martial law grilled former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min for nearly 19 hours over his alleged role during the short-lived decree.

Lee, who arrived for questioning at around 10 a.m. Friday, remained under interrogation as a suspect until about 4:40 a.m. Saturday.

The former minister is accused of ordering the National Fire Agency to cut electricity and water supplies to local media outlets critical of the administration during martial law, allegedly upon instructions from former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

While the team is reportedly looking into charging Lee for playing a key role in the insurrection, assistant counselor Park Ji-young said Saturday that investigators are weighing charges based on Lee’s responsibilities as a minister and his constitutional duties as a Cabinet member.

The team is also investigating whether Lee knew about Yoon's martial law plans in advance or whether he had fulfilled his Cabinet duty to dissuade the former president from implementing them.