[Interview] Kim Kyung-soo on Fasting Protest: "Yoon Seok-yeol's Second Rebellion Command... Must Be Immediately Dismissed"

"Division and Conflict Among the People Have Intensified After the Release"
"Shim Woo-jung's Abandonment of Immediate Appeal Must Be Investigated"

Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who began a hunger strike demanding the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol, claimed, "What President Yoon is currently engaging in is not palace politics, but behavior akin to commanding a second insurrection."

On the afternoon of the 11th, Kim met with Asia Economy at a sit-in protest site in front of the Palace Museum near Gyeongbokgung in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and made these remarks. He raised his voice against President Yoon, saying, "As the ringleader of the insurrection, as the head of the rebellion, he is inciting his supporters and calling the ruling party's emergency response committee chairman and floor leader to the presidential residence, which is not the behavior of a president who has been impeached."

As of that day, it was the third day of his hunger strike. Although he could not completely hide his haggard appearance, his eyes hardened whenever he mentioned 'impeachment.' Kim said, "The release of President Yoon has further deepened the division and conflict among the people," adding, "To overcome this situation, the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling must come as soon as possible. I urge immediate dismissal."

Regarding the cancellation of President Yoon's detention, Kim raised three suspicions about Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung's complicity in the insurrection. First, he claimed, "The prosecution still refuses to approve the arrest warrant for Kim Seong-hoon, deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service." Kim Seong-hoon is the person who has been blocking the investigation into the burner phone and is suspected of obstructing the execution of President Yoon's arrest warrant.

Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo is conducting an interview at a hunger strike site near Gyeongbokgung Station in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 11th, urging the dismissal of President Yoon Seok-yeol. Photo by Lee Dong-woo

Kim also pointed out, "The main cause of this (cancellation of President Yoon's detention) incident lies in the convening of the Prosecutor General's meeting and the delay in prosecution timing," adding, "After providing the opportunity, when the court issued the cancellation of detention decision, they should have immediately appealed, but they did not." He argued that by giving up the immediate appeal, Prosecutor General Shim forcibly released President Yoon despite opposition from the special investigation headquarters investigating the actual martial law situation.

He said, "In the past, the Constitutional Court's unconstitutional rulings were about immediate appeals against suspension of detention execution, not immediate appeals against cancellation of detention," and questioned, "The prosecution argued in 2015 that the immediate appeal system against cancellation of detention should be maintained. Are they saying it was right then but wrong now?" Kim added, "From my perspective, given this level of probability, it is hard to think that the release (of President Yoon) was done without any intention or connection. A thorough investigation and inquiry into Prosecutor General Shim's suspicions are absolutely necessary."

When asked about the opinion from some in the legal community that "the cancellation of the president's detention reflects the court's intention to resolve procedural disputes before the main trial," Kim dismissed it, saying, "I see that as an excuse. They could have immediately appealed and received a judgment on it, but it's just an excuse and a pretext."

Regarding concerns that "despite the Constitutional Court's ruling, the prolonged impeachment political situation may lead to even more severe unrest," Kim responded, "That's why the impeachment decision must come sooner. The longer the (impeachment trial) drags on, the more the people become angry, anxious, and fearful, and emotionally, the situation remains difficult," adding, "The longer it drags on, the more endangered the Republic of Korea becomes."

Kim also addressed the possibility of the impeachment trial being dismissed, saying, "If they even slightly imagine what the Republic of Korea would look like after a dismissal, I believe the Constitutional Court justices will definitely uphold the impeachment."

Regarding remarks about the approval of the arrest consent motion for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, two years ago being "a collusion between some within the party and the prosecution," Kim said, "That is all in the past, before President Yoon's detention cancellation, and everything has changed after President Yoon's release," drawing a clear line, "There is no room to talk about anything other than impeachment now." About the recent visit by former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum to his hunger strike site, he said, "Above all, he encouraged me to take care of my health."

Finally, Kim urged, "The people are going through very difficult and hard times right now. The conflict surrounding the president's impeachment must be resolved as soon as possible so that democracy in the Republic of Korea can be restored in a way that can resolve these conflicts." On the 12th, Kim will hold a 'National Crisis Overcoming Forum' at the Democratic Party sit-in protest site at Gyeongbokgung Station with Lee Jae-myung, former lawmaker Park Yong-jin, former National Assembly Secretary-General Lee Kwang-jae, and former presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok.