Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik Orders Additional Police Personnel After Meeting with Yoon on Day of 'Emergency Martial Law' Declaration

It has been confirmed that Kim Bong-sik, Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who met President Yoon Seok-yeol before the 12·3 emergency martial law situation, requested additional police personnel for night duty at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency after his meeting with President Yoon.

Kim Bong-sik, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, is being body-searched at the entrance of the meeting room before attending the plenary session of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the afternoon of the 5th, where urgent inquiries related to the declaration of martial law and responses are being conducted. Photo by Yonhap News.

On the 13th, Joo Jin-woo, Head of the Security Department at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, attended a current affairs inquiry at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee and revealed this in response to a question from Yong Hye-in, a member of the Basic Income Party, asking, "Did you receive contact from the Seoul Police Chief between 7 PM and 9 PM just before the 12·3 insurrection incident?" He answered, "Yes."

Joo explained, "After leaving work on the 3rd, I received a call from Chief Kim around 7:40 PM and returned to work."

It was confirmed that Chief Kim visited President Yoon's private residence around 7 PM, about three hours before the martial law declaration, along with Police Chief Jo Ji-ho. This was before Chief Kim requested additional personnel from Joo.

According to the movement data submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to the National Assembly, Chief Kim left work at 6:38 PM and returned at 7:46 PM. The interval between these times was confirmed to be blank.

Joo said, "Chief Kim asked about the personnel available for night duty and said he might need some more, asking if 1 or 2 could be used. I told him that about one unit stationed in Jongno Gwanghwamun at night could be relocated." However, when asked if he heard the word 'martial law,' he replied, "I did not hear it at all."