Bong-sik Kim: "Received document labeled '2200 National Assembly'... No orders to blockade or arrest at the National Assembly"

Former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Bong-sik testified that he "never received orders from President Yoon Suk-yeol to arrest lawmakers or other politicians, nor to block the National Assembly." However, he also stated that he received a document with time-specific locations such as '2200 National Assembly,' 'Opinion Poll Flower,' and 'Democratic Party Office' from former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun before the martial law was declared.

Yonhap News

On the afternoon of the 13th, Kim, who attended the 8th hearing of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial as a witness, was asked, "On the evening of December 3rd, when you met President Yoon in Samcheong-dong, did you receive any orders to completely block or seal off access to the National Assembly or to prevent lawmakers from entering?" He answered, "No."

Before the declaration of the emergency martial law on December 3rd, around 7:30 PM, Kim met with President Yoon, former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, and Police Commissioner Cho Ji-ho at the presidential residence in Samcheong-dong. It is known that President Yoon had warned them about the upcoming declaration of martial law. Regarding the meeting, Kim stated, "I was told by the police to maintain order well, and it was a short meeting lasting less than 10 minutes."

Kim said, "At Samcheong-dong, Minister Kim Yong-hyun handed out a single A4 sheet of paper, and President Yoon was at the same table," adding, "I remember that it had '2200 National Assembly' along with several times and places written on it." He also added, "I recalled that 'Democratic Party Office' and 'Opinion Poll Flower' were written on it after seeing media reports."

However, when questioned further about the document, he refrained from answering, saying he did not have specific memories. When the National Assembly side asked about the format or content of the document, Kim replied, "Since it did not have a title or official document status, I did not look at it carefully and do not know well," and added, "I perceived the time-specific locations as places where martial law troops, not the police, should be dispatched." Regarding the immediate shredding of the document before the martial law began, he explained, "It was not because I perceived it as dangerous, but because I usually shred documents after reading them, so it was natural."

He also stated that he did not receive any orders related to power or water cuts to media companies. Former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min testified as a witness at the Constitutional Court on the 11th, stating that he "saw several notes about power and water cuts in the President's office." In response, Kim answered "I do not remember" to the National Assembly's question, "Did you hear the terms 'power and water cuts' or orders to cooperate with the Fire Agency?" and "I learned from the news" to the question, "Do you know that the Minister of the Interior and Safety testified that he saw notes in the President's office?"