National Assembly: "During Martial Law, 280 Martial Law Troops Entered National Assembly... Military and Police Restricted Access to Protect Lawmakers"

Kim Min-ki, Secretary General of the National Assembly, stated on the 4th, "The National Assembly Secretariat has imposed a complete ban on the entry of the Ministry of National Defense, military personnel, and police officers, including the National Assembly security guards, who illegally intruded into the National Assembly building."

At a press conference that day, Secretary General Kim referred to the attempt by martial law troops to enter the main building of the National Assembly during the emergency martial law the previous day, calling it "an urgent measure to protect the safety of lawmakers and to secure the functions of the National Assembly."

President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on the night of the 3rd, and in the early morning of the 4th, martial law troops are attempting to enter the main building of the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

According to Secretary General Kim, after the emergency martial law was declared, the police blocked the outer gate of the National Assembly at 10:50 p.m., restricting access for lawmakers and their aides. Subsequently, 230 armed martial law troops entered the National Assembly using helicopters, with an additional 50 personnel following.

He said, "The armed martial law troops attempted to enter the National Assembly through the Jeonghyeon Hall and the rear information office, and at 12:24 a.m., they broke the glass of an office on the second floor of the National Assembly building and used physical force to intrude inside."

Afterwards, following the resolution to lift martial law by 190 lawmakers in the main chamber of the National Assembly, the martial law troops began to withdraw and only fully exited the National Assembly premises by 2 a.m.

On the morning of the 4th, desks and furniture that had been used as barricades overnight were piled up in front of the Civil Petition Office at the National Assembly Main Building. Photo by Heo Young-han

Secretary General Kim stated, "After declaring martial law, the illegal closure of the National Assembly and the unlawful blocking of lawmakers who wished to gather at the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution and laws, not to mention the use of military forces to trample on the National Assembly building, inflicted deep wounds on the hearts of the people," and expressed "strong protest against the unconstitutional and illegal acts, as well as the physical damage and losses that occurred at the National Assembly building due to the President's declaration of emergency martial law."