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Heads of national, capital police indicted for role in Dec. 3 martial law

Published: 08 Jan. 2025, 18:54

CHO JUNG-WOO
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National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho, left, and former Seoul police chief Kim Bong-sik were indicted by the prosecution over their alleged involvement in the Dec. 3 martial law declaration on Jan. 8. [NEWS1]

Prosecutors on Wednesday indicted the National Police Agency commissioner and the former Seoul police chief over their alleged involvement in impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law last month.

The prosecution sent National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho and former Seoul police head Kim Bong-sik to trial, under detention, over charges of insurrection-related offenses and abuse of authority. The prosecutors believed their actions amounted to inciting a riot aimed at disrupting the constitutional order.

Cho and Kim are accused of dispatching the Police Mobile Unit to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly and supporting the military’s attempt to arrest key politicians during the martial law declaration on Dec. 3 last year.

They also allegedly visited Yoon’s safehouse in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, central Seoul, to meet with the impeached president and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun just hours before the martial law declaration.

The two are suspected of receiving a document from Yoon listing around 10 locations where martial law commands were to be sent. According to police, Cho said he tore up the document, while Kim testified he did not have it.

Additionally, Cho is accused of using a “secret phone” to communicate with Yoon on Dec. 3, when the president instructed him to “arrest lawmakers,” according to the prosecution.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]