Police Chief Meets with Yoon at Safe House 3 Hours Before Martial Law

It has been reported that President Yoon Suk-yeol called Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho and Seoul Police Commissioner Kim Bong-sik to the safe house (An-ga) three hours before the declaration of martial law.

According to the police on the 11th, Commissioners Jo and Kim moved to the presidential safe house in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, around 7 p.m. on the 3rd of this month at the president's summons.

At this meeting, attended by then Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, President Yoon reportedly handed Commissioner Jo an A4 document listing institutions to be seized following the declaration of martial law.

The targets included about ten places such as the National Assembly, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, and the public opinion poll 'Kkot' led by YouTuber Kim Eo-jun, according to Commissioner Jo's statement to the police.

Until then, Commissioner Jo had received a message from the presidential office around 6:20 p.m. instructing him to "stand by until further orders," but there was no indication regarding martial law. He also stated that he learned about the martial law through President Yoon's televised address.

Commissioner Jo's testimony contradicts his movements on the day, which the police submitted to Representative Yang Bu-nam of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee.

The police stated that Commissioner Jo was in his office from 5:42 p.m. to 6:28 p.m. before the martial law announcement, at the official residence until 10:02 p.m., and then back in his office until midnight.

Representative Yang claimed, "The police commissioner and Seoul commissioner, who are accused of treason, not only failed to clearly explain but also made false reports, which is an act of deceiving the National Assembly."

The Special Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency, investigating the martial law incident, stated that they "cannot confirm" the testimonies related to the meeting at the safe house.

The Special Investigation Unit urgently arrested Commissioners Jo and Kim in the early hours of the day.