Opposition Targets 'Police Blockade of National Assembly'... Police Commissioner Says "Cannot Agree to Treason Charge" (Summary)

Walkout at the People Power Party's Public Administration Committee Meeting
Committee Chair: "Yoon is the Mastermind of the Rebellion Conspiracy"
Assemblyman Chae Hyun-il: "Police are Accomplices in the Rebellion Crime"

The Democratic Party, the Party for Justice and Innovation, and the Basic Income Party condemned President Yoon Seok-yeol's declaration of martial law as a 'coup d'?tat' and 'treason,' criticizing the police's blockade of the National Assembly. In response, members of the People Power Party walked out of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee meeting room.

Military troops are entering the National Assembly main building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

Shin Jeong-hoon, chairman of the Public Administration and Security Committee, stated at the committee's plenary session on the 5th, "Our people have spent the past two days in deep despair. What kind of democracy have we built, and what kind of Republic of Korea have we created?" He criticized, "The emptiness, anger, and despair everyone feels stem from the fact that the history of democracy, which has endured and overcome a turbulent modern history, has been completely denied and destroyed by a group of madmen."

Chairman Shin said, "Martial law is a clear unconstitutional and illegal act of national disorder that does not meet the requirements and procedures stipulated by the Constitution and laws. It is an act of treason. The president is the mastermind of a treasonous conspiracy that shook the foundation of the liberal democratic system." He raised his voice, saying, "The police blocked the National Assembly, and the Ministry of National Defense deployed helicopters and armed martial law troops who trampled the main building of the National Assembly with military boots. Who ordered the police chief, who should protect the people's safety and national security from treason, to block the National Assembly and participate in the martial law troops' violation of the National Assembly?"

Shin Jeong-hoon, Chairman of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. Photo by Yonhap News

Police Chief Cho Ji-ho responded to Basic Income Party lawmaker Yong Hye-in's question, "Does blocking the National Assembly with troops and prohibiting entry constitute treason and disruption of the national order?" by saying, "I do not agree that it is treason. It is a matter for judicial judgment." When lawmaker Yong pointed out that the Supreme Court precedent on the December 12 military coup qualifies it as treason, Chief Cho replied, "That is your opinion, and the same actions were not taken."

When Democratic Party lawmaker Chae Hyun-il asked, "When did you become aware of the martial law declaration?" Chief Cho answered, "I learned about it through the media." When lawmaker Chae accused him of being an accomplice to treason, he said, "I do not think so. If the intention was to disable the National Assembly's functions, lawmakers would not have been allowed to enter," adding, "Since it was an unusual situation, control was exercised initially but later access was permitted for regular entrants."

Police Chief Jo Ji-ho is attending an urgent inquiry regarding the police response during martial law at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 5th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Chief Cho sparked controversy by stating that when Chairman Shin asked whether the control of lawmakers' access was his own decision or that of the martial law commander, "Who made the decision is not important," and "Naturally, controlling the National Assembly means controlling access for everyone." Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik said, "We judged that the full blockade included lawmakers."

Chairman Shin emphasized, "I believe the police's judgment was part of creating an environment for the deployment of military martial law forces. It was a measure to nullify and obstruct the resolution demanding the lifting of martial law in the National Assembly," adding, "I am asking whether this was forced by the martial law command, or whether the police chief, or the Seoul police chief, took a more proactive role."

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