Over 30 'Ingan-tti' People Power Party Lawmakers Finally Forced to Disperse... "Arrest Warrants Illegal" "Setback for Rule of Law"
by Lee Kimin
Published 15 Jan.2025 08:54(KST)
Updated 15 Jan.2025 09:12(KST)
Forming a Human Chain to Block Investigators, Forcibly Dispersed
Kim Ki-hyun: "Legitimacy Abandoned Through Tricks and Expedients"
More than 30 members of the People Power Party gathered in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, on the 15th to block the police and the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division (PCC) from executing an arrest warrant against President Yoon Suk-yeol. They formed a 'human chain' to prevent the investigative authorities from entering but were forcibly dispersed by the police, strongly protesting that "the arrest warrant is illegal" and "the rule of law is regressing."
Including lawmakers Kim Ki-hyun and Yoon Sang-hyun, over 30 People Power Party members protested the execution procedure in front of the Hannam-dong residence around 5 a.m. when the police and PCC began executing the arrest warrant.
Besides Kim and Yoon, attendees included Kang Myung-gu, Kim Wi-sang, Cho Bae-sook, Jang Dong-hyuk, Park Soo-young, Lee Cheol-gyu, Kang Myung-gu, Park Dae-chul, Lee Sang-hwi, Cho Ji-yeon, Sung Il-jong, Lee Man-hee, Jeong Hee-yong, Kim Jeong-jae, Lee In-seon, Kim Seok-ki, Kang Seung-gyu, Kwon Young-jin, Koo Ja-geun, Yoo Sang-beom, Han Ki-ho, Jeong Jeom-sik, Lee Jong-wook, Jeong Dong-man, Kim Seon-kyo, Yoon Sang-hyun, and Park Sung-min. They began gathering in front of the residence from 3:20 a.m., and by 8 a.m., about 30 had assembled.
After being forcibly dispersed by the police at the main gate, they issued an urgent statement pointing out the illegality of the arrest warrant and called for the suspension of its execution. Lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun stated, "From the beginning, the PCC, which has no investigative authority over treason, arbitrarily interpreted the PCC Act and used a trick by requesting a warrant from a court outside its jurisdiction. They even added the expedient of excluding the application of specific laws by the warrant judge, fostering illegality and throwing away their own legitimacy. Therefore, even now, the illegal and unlawful execution of the arrest warrant must be immediately stopped."
He continued, "The PCC and the National Investigation Headquarters (NIH) should not be swayed by Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, who is blinded by lust for power, but must exercise public authority lawfully based solely on law and principles."
Lawmaker Na Kyung-won emphasized, "No matter how much someone is a flagrante delicto, the law must be alive. However, the president is only suspended from duty now, and forcibly and illegally exercising such physical force against the sitting president regresses the rule of law in the Republic of Korea. At times like this, we must uphold our laws and create a Korea where the constitution is guaranteed."
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