NIS 1st Deputy Director: "Yoon Ordered 'Arrest Them All and Clean Up'"

"Whether funds or manpower, ordered to assist unconditionally"
Arrest list includes Woo Won-sik, Lee Jae-myung, Han Dong-hoon, Kim Eo-jun, and others

Yonhap News

Hong Jang-won, the First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, revealed that President Yoon Seok-yeol personally instructed him right after the declaration of martial law on the 3rd to "arrest everyone and clean up." He reported that the arrest list included key political figures such as Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly; Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party; Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party; as well as broadcaster Kim Eo-jun and Kim Min-woong, the standing representative of the Candlelight Victory Transition Action.

Hong stated this during a meeting with Shin Sung-bum, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, at the National Assembly, according to Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-gi, who briefed reporters. Jo Tae-yong, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, was also present at the meeting.

According to lawmaker Kim, President Yoon called Hong immediately after the martial law declaration and said, "Did you see the announcement of martial law? Take this opportunity to arrest everyone and clean up. We will grant the National Intelligence Service counterintelligence investigative authority, so first assist the Counterintelligence Command. Whether it’s funds or personnel, provide unconditional support."

Right after the call with President Yoon, Hong contacted Yeo In-hyung, the commander of the Counterintelligence Command, to relay the president’s instructions. When Hong asked, "What kind of support do you need?" Commander Yeo replied, "We are currently sealing off the National Assembly through the police."

Commander Yeo added, "The arrest teams have been dispatched, but their whereabouts are unknown," and read out the list of targets, requesting location tracking to facilitate their capture.

The arrest list included Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly; Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party; Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party; Park Chan-dae, Democratic Party floor leader; Kim Min-seok, senior supreme council member of the Democratic Party; Jung Cheong-rae, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee; Cho Guk, leader of the Cho Guk Innovation Party; Kim Myung-soo, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Kwon Soon-il, former Supreme Court justice; Kim Eo-jun; Kim Min-woong, standing representative of the Candlelight Victory Transition Action; and the labor union chairman.

Commander Yeo reportedly said that these individuals would be arrested in phases, first and second rounds, and detained at the Counterintelligence Command’s facilities for investigation. Regarding this, Hong thought, "This is crazy," and "It makes no sense."

A meeting was held with Director Jo Tae-yong, the first, second, and third deputy directors, and the chief of the Planning Office. When reports came in saying, "The president said to cooperate well with the Counterintelligence Command," and "They are trying to arrest Han Dong-hoon and Lee Jae-myung," Director Jo responded, "Let’s discuss this tomorrow morning," Hong recounted.

Hong also said that around 4 p.m. the previous day, he received from Director Jo the president’s order for "immediate dismissal," and he submitted his resignation. However, the next morning, right after his farewell ceremony, Director Jo rejected his resignation.

Hong claimed, "I heard from multiple sources that in Yongsan, the president was furious and said, 'The first deputy director caused the failure of the first martial law,' and ordered his dismissal," and that "the rejection of the resignation was to silence me," according to lawmaker Kim.

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