Police and firefighters at the 'Chae I-bae confinement' scene say "Lee Eun-jae blocked the door"

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Hwayoung = Former Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Lee Eun-jae, who was prosecuted over the 20th National Assembly fast-track (rapid processing agenda) clash incident, is answering questions from the press before attending the first trial held at the Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 21st. 2020.9.21
hwayoung7@yna.co.kr
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[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Junhyung] Police officers and firefighters who were dispatched to former lawmaker Chae E-bae's office during the 'National Assembly Fast-Track Clash' testified on the 5th that former Liberty Korea Party (currently People Power Party) lawmaker Lee Eun-jae blocked entry into the office.

A, a police officer from Yeouido Police Substation in 2019, appeared as a witness at the trial of former lawmaker Na Kyung-won and others held by the Criminal Division 11 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Seong Bo-gi) on that day. A testified about the confinement incident that occurred at former lawmaker Chae's office on April 25, 2019.

A said, "We received a report that 'former lawmaker Chae is trapped in the office and cannot leave,' and we dispatched to the scene, but the office door was locked, so we could not enter," adding, "Former lawmaker Lee, who was standing blocking the office door, shouted loudly, asking 'Why did the police come here?'" He continued, "The police requested the door to be opened three times, and after about 10 minutes, former lawmaker Lee stepped aside from the door," and "Afterwards, former lawmaker Chae and Liberty Korea Party lawmakers came out together from inside the office."

Former lawmaker Chae was replaced as a member of the Bareunmirae Party's Special Committee on Judicial Reform (Sage Special Committee) around 9 a.m. on the day of the incident. He planned to attend the Sage Special Committee's bill meeting that afternoon, but his attendance was delayed due to obstruction by Liberty Korea Party lawmakers.

Firefighter B, who was also dispatched to the scene at the time, stated, "The office door was locked, and former lawmaker Lee was standing blocking the door, so we could not enter."

The Liberty Korea Party side rebutted, saying, "Former lawmaker Lee did not block the door but was attempting to enter the locked office," and "There was no physical pushing or blocking of police officers or firefighters." They also claimed, "The part about asking 'Why did the police come?' was merely raising questions about the police being dispatched to a situation arising from political differences."

Meanwhile, former lawmaker Na and others were indicted for confining former lawmaker Chae, who had been replaced as a member of the Sage Special Committee to prevent the designation of the election reform bill as a fast-track agenda by the four ruling and opposition parties during the 'Fast-Track Clash' incident in 2019.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.