'Charges of Rebellion' Jo Jiho and Kim Bongsik, Trial Panel of the 'Kim Yonghyun Case' to Deliberate

Former Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho and former Seoul Police Commissioner Kim Bong-sik, who were indicted for mobilizing the police to block the National Assembly and obstructing the resolution to lift martial law during the ‘December 3 Internal Disturbance,’ have been assigned to the same trial panel as former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun.

Jo Ji-ho, Commissioner of the National Police Agency. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

On the 9th, the Seoul Central District Court assigned the cases of Commissioner Jo and former Commissioner Kim, who were detained and indicted on charges of engaging in important internal disturbance duties and abuse of authority, to the Criminal Division 25 (Presiding Judge Ji Gwi-yeon).

This trial panel is also handling the case of former Minister Kim, a key suspect in the emergency martial law situation. The Central District Court reportedly assigned the two cases to the same panel in accordance with the court regulation that allows related cases to be assigned to the panel handling the first received case.

Previously, Commissioner Jo and others were detained and indicted the day before on charges of blocking the perimeter of the National Assembly by mobilizing the police riot squad under the orders of President Yoon Suk-yeol during the emergency martial law. They are also accused of organizing arrest squads targeting key figures including Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, and attempting to remove servers from the National Election Commission.

The prosecution views their actions as inciting a riot with the intent to disrupt the constitutional order and abusing their official authority to compel unnecessary actions.

Meanwhile, the first preparatory hearing for former Minister Kim is scheduled for the 16th.

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