Special Investigation Team on Rebellion Raids Former People Power Party Floor Leader Choo Kyungho's Residences

Cho Jiyeon's Office Also Searched in Martial Law Obstruction Probe
Special Investigation Team Targets Lawmakers Gathered in Floor Leader's Office on Day of Martial Law

On the 2nd, the special prosecution team led by Cho Eunseok, investigating the December 3 emergency martial law-related rebellion and foreign exchange suspicions, launched a compulsory investigation targeting former People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho in connection with the suspicion of obstructing the lifting of martial law. In front of Representative Choo's office in the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The special investigation team on rebellion, led by Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok, has launched a compulsory investigation into former People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho regarding allegations of obstructing the lifting of martial law.

Starting at 8 a.m. on September 2, the special investigation team conducted searches and seizures at the former floor leader's residences in Gangnam, Seoul, and Daegu. The searches also included Choo's parliamentary office and the People Power Party floor leader's office. In addition, the office of Representative Cho Jiyeon from the same party was searched. The mobile phone of a party secretariat staff member who assisted Choo at the time of the emergency martial law was also targeted in the search.

The special investigation team is currently investigating suspicions that, after the December 3 emergency martial law declaration last year, Choo and others, at the request of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's side, repeatedly changed the location of the parliamentary caucus meeting to hinder other lawmakers from participating in the vote to lift martial law.

At a briefing, Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young stated, "We obtained a search and seizure warrant for the People Power Party floor leader's office in connection with activities on the day of the emergency martial law and the decision-making process after the lifting of martial law," adding, "The current floor leader is not involved at all; the focus is on records, documents, and logs used during Choo's tenure as floor leader."

Regarding Representative Cho, the special investigation team explained, "Representative Cho is being treated as a reference witness, and since she was in contact with former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun during the martial law period, her office was included in the search."

The investigation also targets items used during Choo's tenure as floor leader, such as logs, documents, and materials related to his activities on the day of martial law and the subsequent decision-making process after the lifting of martial law.

Immediately after the martial law was declared, Choo convened an emergency parliamentary caucus, initially announcing the location as the National Assembly, then changing it to the Yeouido party headquarters. He later switched the location back to the National Assembly, only to change it again to the Yeouido party headquarters. As a result, many People Power Party lawmakers were unable to participate in the vote to lift martial law. The National Assembly's resolution to demand the lifting of martial law passed with 190 lawmakers present and 190 in favor, while 90 out of 108 People Power Party lawmakers did not participate. The special investigation team has also secured records of Choo's communications with former President Yoon and others immediately after the martial law declaration and is investigating them.

It has been reported that after the martial law declaration, Representative Cho remained with Choo in the floor leader's office at the National Assembly and did not participate in the vote on the resolution to lift martial law. The special investigation team believes it is necessary to investigate the lawmakers who gathered in the floor leader's office at that time.

Special Prosecutor Park stated, "It is necessary to verify the decision-making process of the lawmakers who were in the floor leader's office," adding, "Since those present acted together, it is only natural that an investigation will be conducted."