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NIS deputy director claims Yoon ordered 'arrests and cleanup' under martial law

Published: 06 Dec. 2024, 15:27

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

National Intelligence Service (NIS) First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won attends a committee hearing at the Seoul Government Complex on March 14. [YONHAP]

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the arrest of key political figures and a “cleanup” after declaring martial law on Tuesday, National Intelligence Service (NIS) First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won claimed Friday.

Speaking in front of the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee at the parliament building in Yeouido, western Seoul, Hong said that Yoon ordered the NIS to “use this opportunity to make arrests and clean everything up,” and that the intelligence agency support the Defense Counterintelligence Command in doing so.

Political figures that Yoon allegedly ordered to be arrested included Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung, Yoon’s own People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, DP floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae and others, according to Hong.

The first deputy director said that he thought this order was “nonsense,” and the meeting of NIS officials that followed ended without any particular conclusion on following the orders, he claimed.

The Defense Counterintelligence Command was also preparing to detain the political figures arrested at a facility, Hong added. No such arrests took place during the six hours of martial law between Tuesday to Wednesday.

The presidential office on Friday initially issued a statement that there had been no order from the president to make arrests after the declaration of martial law, but retracted the statement minutes later.

NIS Director Cho Tae-yong said on Friday during the committee meeting that Yoon had never ordered the arrest of politicians, contradicting Hong’s claims.

Cho added that there were no measures such as the dismissal or replacement of Hong by Yoon or the presidential office in progress so far, but that Cho himself had suggested the removal of Hong and that a personnel reshuffle is underway.

“Hong recently made inappropriate remarks that do not adhere to the political independence of the NIS,” said Cho. “In these critical times, the NIS must thoroughly perform its fundamental duties and maintain political neutrality.”

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]