Choo Kyungho Returns Home After Overnight Interrogation Over Alleged Obstruction of Martial Law Lifting Vote

Special Prosecutor on Insurrection Case:
"Investigation Team Covered All Prepared Questions"
Second Search and Seizure Attempt on Former Prime Minister Hwang Fails
"He Refused to Open the Door"

Former Floor Leader of the People Power Party, Choo Kyung-ho, is arriving at the Special Prosecutor's Office for Internal Affairs in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 30th.

Choo Kyung-ho, former Floor Leader of the People Power Party, who had been summoned by the special prosecutor's team investigating the alleged obstruction of the resolution to lift martial law, returned home on the 31st after an overnight interrogation.

Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young stated during a briefing that day, "Based on today's investigation, we will determine whether there are grounds for charges against Assemblyman Choo," adding, "If the evidence is deemed sufficient, procedures under the Criminal Procedure Act are expected to follow."

She continued, "Since the investigation team was able to cover all the questions they had prepared, there are currently no plans for an additional summons, although the final conclusion has yet to be reached."

Choo is suspected of having interfered with other lawmakers' participation in the vote to lift martial law by repeatedly changing the location of the general assembly at the request of former President Yoon Seok-yeol's camp during the declaration of martial law last year. After the martial law was declared, Choo convened an emergency general assembly of lawmakers and changed the location three times: from the National Assembly to the party headquarters, back to the National Assembly, and then again to the party headquarters.

The special prosecutor's team has also secured records of Choo's phone calls with former President Yoon and others immediately after the martial law declaration and is currently investigating them. At the time, Choo, who was traveling from his home to the National Assembly, called former Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Cheol-ho and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in succession, and it has been confirmed that he also spoke with former President Yoon afterward.

However, Choo's side claims that he was not aware of the martial law in advance and did not discuss obstructing the vote with former President Yoon.

The special prosecutor's team summoned Assemblyman Choo at 10 a.m. the previous day as a suspect on charges of performing important duties related to insurrection and abuse of power by obstructing the exercise of rights. The interrogation, including meal and break times, concluded at around 9:25 p.m. He then began reviewing the investigation records at 10:10 p.m. and left the interrogation room at around 9:06 a.m. the following morning, after about 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Special Prosecutor Park explained, "(Assemblyman Choo) reviewed the records in great detail and wrote a significant portion of his additional statements by hand," adding, "The records amounted to 171 pages including the cover, and he also wrote about three pages by hand."

After completing the interrogation, Assemblyman Choo told reporters, "I have provided a thorough explanation of the facts that occurred on the day martial law was declared," and added, "I urge the administration to stop political oppression and retaliation and to focus on people's livelihoods."

Meanwhile, at 8 a.m. that day, the special prosecutor's team attempted to execute a second search and seizure warrant against former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is under suspicion of incitement and propaganda related to insurrection, but withdrew after 40 minutes. The period for executing the search and seizure warrant against Hwang expired that day, prompting the second attempt. The special prosecutor's team plans to apply for another search and seizure warrant.

Special Prosecutor Park stated, "Former Prime Minister Hwang refused to open the door and rejected the execution, so we withdrew at around 8:40 a.m.," adding, "He has not appointed a lawyer and hangs up when we call, so we decided to withdraw after considering various circumstances on site."

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