Home > National > Politics

Police chiefs arrested in investigation into botched martial law imposition

Published: 11 Dec. 2024, 10:25 Updated: 11 Dec. 2024, 10:29

National Police Agency Commissioner-General Cho Ji-ho [YONHAP]

Police arrested the national police commissioner and the Seoul police chief early Wednesday in connection with an investigation into the botched martial law imposition, officials said.

Cho Ji-ho, the commissioner-general of the Korean National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, were arrested without a warrant at around 3:50 a.m. on insurrection charges, the special investigation team handling the case said.

It is the first time both a national police chief and Seoul police chief in office have been arrested by police.

Under emergency arrest provisions, police have 48 hours to detain and question suspects.

Cho and Kim had been undergoing questioning at their respective police headquarters for about 10 hours since Tuesday afternoon.

The two top police officials are suspected of instructing police officers to cordon off the National Assembly compound to block lawmakers from entering parliament in a bid to reverse the martial law decree.

Cho is suspected of sending police personnel to the National Election Commission to assist the military in carrying out orders issued under martial law.

Both Cho and Kim have been placed under a travel ban.

BY WOO JI-WON, YONHAP [[email protected]]