Gwak Jong-geun Challenges Yoon Following Hong Jang-won (Comprehensive Report 1)

Gwak Jong-geun: "The President ordered to pull out the members of the National Assembly"
...Also corrected some statements
Gwak Jong-geun: "I never received withdrawal orders for National Assembly troops from the President or Kim Yong-hyun"

Former Special Warfare Commander Gwak Jong-geun stated that considering the overall situation at the time, the target President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered to 'pull out' at the National Assembly was indeed the members of the National Assembly. He also testified that he never received any withdrawal orders regarding the troops deployed to the National Assembly from President Yoon or former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun. This testimony directly contradicts the claims made by President Yoon’s side, following the testimony of former National Intelligence Service First Deputy Director Hong Jang-won. Throughout Gwak’s testimony, President Yoon was seen closing his eyes several times, appearing to be deep in thought.

Gwak Jong-geun: "The President ordered to pull out the members of the National Assembly"... Also corrected some statements

Former Special Warfare Commander Gwak Jong-geun answering questions. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 6th, former Commander Gwak appeared as a witness at the 6th hearing of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment trial held at the Constitutional Court. When asked by the National Assembly’s legal team whether the target President Yoon ordered to bring out at that time was indeed the members of the National Assembly, he answered, "That is exactly correct." Furthermore, when the National Assembly side read Gwak’s prosecution interrogation record and asked, "It is recorded that President Yoon personally made a call on a burner phone saying, ‘It seems the quorum for the vote inside the National Assembly has not yet been met. Quickly go in and bring out the people inside the assembly hall.’ Is this what the witness testified?" Gwak confirmed, "That is correct."

Additionally, Gwak explained, "At that time, personnel from the 707 Special Mission Unit were at the main building of the National Assembly, confronting at the front gate, and no personnel had entered inside the main building." He added, "Since I received the call in that state, I naturally understood the parts about the quorum issue and pulling out the people inside to mean the members of the National Assembly, because there were no operatives inside the main building."

However, during a focused questioning session by Justice Jung Hyung-sik of the Constitutional Court to verify facts, Gwak also corrected part of his statement. When Justice Jung asked, "Did you not say or hear the word ‘members of the National Assembly’?" Gwak replied, "The expression I heard on the phone was to pull out the people inside to the outside." Justice Jung also requested during the questioning, "Please exclude the witness’s thoughts or interpretations and only state what was exactly heard. If what you heard is not accurate, please say it is not accurate."

Gwak Jong-geun: "I never received withdrawal orders for National Assembly troops from the President or Kim Yong-hyun"

Former Commander Gwak testified that he never received any withdrawal orders for the troops from President Yoon or former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, and that he issued the withdrawal order based on his own judgment. This testimony contradicts President Yoon’s claims. President Yoon stated at the 4th hearing, "As soon as the resolution demanding the lifting of martial law was passed, I immediately ordered the withdrawal."

When asked, "Did you order the withdrawal of the Special Warfare troops from the National Assembly after the situation ended?" Gwak answered, "Yes." When asked, "Did you receive any orders from the President or the Minister of Justice?" he replied, "I did not receive any withdrawal orders, and after I informed former Minister Kim that I would suspend the mission at the National Assembly and the National Election Commission and withdraw, the withdrawal took place."

He further explained, "Former Minister Kim asked me what to do, and I told him that I would suspend the missions at the National Assembly, the National Election Commission, the Democratic Party headquarters, and the public opinion survey office, and then withdraw."

On the morning of the 6th, the 6th hearing of the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol is being held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul. 2025.02.06 Photo by Joint Press Corps

During the two-hour testimony that day, former Commander Gwak actively answered all questions, unlike two other commanders, Lee Jin-woo and Yeo In-hyung, who had consistently exercised their right to remain silent in previous impeachment trial hearings. He was the overall commander who led the Special Warfare troops deployed to the National Assembly and the Central Election Commission building on the day martial law was declared and was indicted and detained by the prosecution. The charges also include ordering the 707 Special Mission Unit Commander Kim Hyun-tae and the 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade Commander to "pull out the members of the National Assembly."