Interior minister requested help in cutting power, water to left-leaning media during martial law: Fire commissioner

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Interior minister requested help in cutting power, water to left-leaning media during martial law: Fire commissioner

Fire Commissioner Heo Seok-gon, left, responds to Democratic Party Rep. Yoon Geon-young’s question during a parliamentary hearing on Monday about whether then-Minister Lee Sang-min ordered power and water cuts to media outlets during a Dec. 3 meeting, following the declaration of martial law. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Fire Commissioner Heo Seok-gon, left, responds to Democratic Party Rep. Yoon Geon-young’s question during a parliamentary hearing on Monday about whether then-Minister Lee Sang-min ordered power and water cuts to media outlets during a Dec. 3 meeting, following the declaration of martial law. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 
The fire commissioner revealed at a National Assembly hearing that then-Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min requested cooperation in cutting off electricity and water supplies to certain media outlets on the day martial law was declared on Dec. 3.
 
The targeted outlets allegedly included left-leaning newspapers Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankyoreh, public broadcaster MBC and Kim Ou-joon's News Factory, a show hosted by a vocal critic of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
 
The claim was confirmed by Heo Seok-gon, commissioner of the National Fire Agency, during a parliamentary hearing on Monday.
 
Heo said he received a call from then-Interior Minister at around 11:37 p.m. on Dec. 3 during an emergency Fire Agency meeting shortly after Yoon declared martial law in a surprise televised address.
 
“[Lee] asked for cooperation for requests to [cut electricity or water] against specific media outlets if such requests came from the National Police Agency,” Heo said.
 
However, Heo explained that no action was taken. 
 
"I deliberated on the matter with the deputy chief [of the Fire Agency] sitting next to me, but we concluded that such actions were beyond our jurisdiction. No measures were taken,” he said.
 
When asked whether the Chosun Ilbo, a conservative newspaper, was among the targeted outlets, Heo replied, “I don’t remember.” Regarding JTBC, a broadcaster affiliated with the Korea JoongAng Daily, he said his memory was "unclear."
 
Ko Ki-dong, acting Minister of the Interior and Safety, and Lee Ho-young, acting Commissioner of the National Police Agency, were also present at the hearing. Both denied any knowledge of directives involving power and water supply cuts to media outlets.  
 
Yoon’s martial law decree, which was lifted within hours, declared all media and publishing to be under the control of the Martial Law Command.
 
Lee stepped down from his position on Dec. 8. In a parliamentary hearing, Lee defended Yoon, calling the declaration of martial law a "high-level act of governance" with the president exercising authority "explicitly outlined in the Constitution." He also denied any personal involvement in the implementation of martial law.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
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