Special Prosecutor Notifies Choo Kyungho to Appear Over Alleged Obstruction of Martial Law Lifting Vote

"Notification of Summons for Questioning as a Suspect... Schedule to Be Finalized Considering National Assembly Calendar"
"All Lawmakers Who Did Not Participate in Martial Law Vote Have Been Reported... Not All Are Suspects"

Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the People Power Party is attending a party members' meeting held on August 14 at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul.

The special prosecutor's team led by Cho Eunseok, which is investigating allegations of interference in the National Assembly's martial law lifting vote, has notified former People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyungho to appear for questioning.

Special Prosecutor Park Jiyoung stated at a regular briefing on the 22nd, "We have notified Assemblyman Choo to appear, and after reviewing the dates proposed by Choo's side in consideration of the National Assembly schedule, we will finalize the date for his summons."

Choo's side has expressed its intention to comply with the investigation after the National Assembly audit is concluded. Since the Political Affairs Committee, to which Choo belongs, will finish its comprehensive audit on the 28th, it is expected that his appearance date will be set accordingly.

The special prosecutor suspects that, during last year's martial law declaration, Choo-who was then the floor leader-received a request from the camp of former President Yoon Sukyeol and obstructed other lawmakers from participating in the vote to lift martial law by repeatedly changing the location of the party members' meeting.

Additionally, the special prosecutor's team is coordinating the investigation schedule for Assemblywoman Kim Heejung. The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, to which Kim belongs, has audit schedules on the 23rd, 27th, and 29th.

Special Prosecutor Park stated, "I cannot specify the exact number of People Power Party lawmakers who have been investigated, but a significant number have already been questioned. Many key figures whose testimonies are important for determining whether charges are warranted have been investigated, but since the schedules for questioning Assemblywoman Kim and Assemblyman Choo have not yet been finalized, it is difficult to say who will be questioned first."

Regarding concerns that a large number of People Power Party lawmakers being investigated might share information about the investigation, Park said, "Of course, since they belong to the same party, we cannot rule out the possibility of sharing information. However, they are representatives of the people and serve the public. I believe they have responded faithfully to the investigation based on their own understanding of the facts, and I am aware that there is useful information in their testimonies."

When asked whether all People Power Party lawmakers who did not participate in the martial law lifting vote are being investigated, since most of them have been reported, Park replied, "Although all People Power Party lawmakers who did not participate in the vote have been reported, this does not mean that all of them are being investigated as suspects. The special prosecutor is conducting a restrained investigation within the necessary scope. Just because someone has been reported does not mean they automatically become a suspect, but we are not completely ruling out the possibility of accomplices, so that aspect is also being investigated."

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