Cho Kuk: "The National Assembly Must Watch with Vigilance Over 'Yoon's Illegal Martial Law'"

"Military Rebellion Act... Meets Grounds for Impeachment"

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, emphasized immediately after the passage of the 'Emergency Martial Law Lift Resolution' that "if President Yoon Seok-yeol does not comply with the National Assembly's resolution, it is illegal and a crime in itself."

After voting in favor of the 'Emergency Martial Law Lift Resolution' around 1:10 a.m. on the 4th in the National Assembly plenary session, Cho stood at the entrance of the plenary hall and made these remarks. He continued, "There is a possibility that President Yoon will not retract his decision despite the National Assembly's resolution," and criticized, "The emergency martial law itself was illegal from the start and a military rebellion. It is the same behavior as the former military regimes of Jeon Du-hwan and Roh Tae-woo."

On the 4th, about 20 martial law troops attempted to break the glass windows and enter the main building of the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Cho also mentioned that the legality of the emergency martial law proclamation must be examined. He said, "The procedures were not followed, and it does not meet the requirements for emergency martial law," adding, "Kim Yong-hyun, Minister of National Defense, who recommended the proclamation of emergency martial law, also attempted a military rebellion." He further stated, "President Yoon should be investigated and punished simply for announcing the emergency martial law," and "All conditions for impeachment against (President Yoon) have been met."

He also said, "Because we do not know what measures President Yoon will take, the public must remain vigilant," and "After this situation is resolved, at minimum, President Yoon and Minister Kim must be punished and impeached." Furthermore, he added toward President Yoon, "He has no qualifications as president because he committed acts equivalent to a military rebellion."