Choi Sang-mok Orders Police and Security Office: "Use of Violence Must Absolutely Not Occur"

"All Law Enforcement Must Be Carried Out in a Restrained Manner"
"An Inter-Agency Clash Would Leave an Indelible Scar on Constitutional History"

Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also the Minister of Economy and Finance, is speaking during a meeting with Kwon Young-se, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 13th. Photo by Yonhap News

Choi Sang-mok, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Economy and Finance, instructed the National Police Agency and the Presidential Security Service, who are in a standoff over the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, on the 13th, saying, "There must absolutely be no use of violent means or methods between related agencies."

The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced through a press release that Acting President Choi directed the police and the security service, stating, "All law enforcement must be carried out in a peaceful and restrained manner."

Acting President Choi said, "Tensions between state agencies regarding the execution of the arrest warrant have escalated, causing great concern and anxiety among the public and both domestic and international observers," adding, "If a conflict occurs between state agencies, it will leave an indelible scar on our constitutional history."

He further emphasized, "Heads of related agencies are requested to pay special attention to maintaining order and preventing conflicts, and to ensure orderly law enforcement and the safety of field officials through sufficient mutual consultation to protect the safety of their staff and prevent inter-agency clashes."

While Acting President Choi has so far stressed from a principled standpoint that there should be no physical clashes between state agencies, it is interpreted that he has taken practical command as acting president as the possibility of the police and the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (Gong-su-cheo) executing the arrest warrant has increased this week.

Earlier, Acting President Choi met separately with Kwon Young-se, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, at the National Assembly in the morning, requesting, "Under no circumstances should citizens be injured or unfortunate incidents caused by physical clashes occur in relation to the execution of the arrest warrant," and asked, "Please make efforts at the National Assembly level."