'Martial Law Proposal' Kim Yong-hyun Attempts Overseas Departure... National Police Agency "Emergency Travel Ban"
by Oh Jieun
Published 05 Dec.2024 14:31(KST)
Updated 05 Dec.2024 15:57(KST)
Park Sun-won "Kim shows signs of hurried departure"
Woo Jong-su, Head of National Police Agency, "Ordered necessary measures"
Park Seon-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, claimed, "Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, who conspired and schemed (martial law) with the president, is attempting to leave the country." In response to these remarks, Woo Jong-su, head of the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters, announced that he had ordered a travel ban on former Minister Kim.
After concluding an emergency inquiry at the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on the 5th, Representative Park told reporters, "Former Minister Kim is showing urgent signs of trying to leave the country," adding, "He is trying to become the second 'Run Jong-seop'." The term 'Run Jong-seop' is used critically to refer to former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop, who was under suspicion of interference in the investigation of a fallen Marine and was appointed ambassador to Australia, subsequently leaving for Australia.
Former Minister Kim is known as the person who proposed the 'emergency martial law' declared on the 3rd to President Yoon Seok-yeol. Earlier, Yang Bu-nam, a Democratic Party member, and Kim Min-seok, a senior member of the Democratic Party, also mentioned rumors of former Minister Kim fleeing abroad. Senior member Kim stated on his personal SNS, "It is certain that former Minister Kim is fleeing abroad," and added, "Former Minister Kim is a key witness and accomplice in the crime of rebellion. I request an immediate travel ban."
Woo, who attended the plenary session of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee that day, said regarding the rumors of former Minister Kim attempting to leave the country, "I conveyed to the head of the Security Investigation Division to promptly take the necessary urgent measures." He also added, "In addition to the emergency travel ban, if there are other urgent measures to be taken, I instructed them to review and implement them."
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