Chu Kyungho's Legal Team:
"Request for Witness Examination Unjustified,
Motion Filed to Cancel Decision"
On April 29, at a preliminary meeting of the People Power Party's "SK Telecom Consumer Rights and Personal Information Protection Task Force" held at the National Assembly, Representative Kim Hee-jung, who served as the chairperson, is speaking.
The special prosecutor's team investigating the insurrection case (led by Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok) requested a pretrial witness examination of Representative Kim Heejung of the People Power Party, but the session did not take place due to her absence.
On September 29, Presiding Judge Lee Younggwang of the Seoul Southern District Court's Criminal Division 1 scheduled a witness examination for Representative Kim, but the session was not held. Judge Lee stated, "We will summon the witness again and proceed with the examination," adding, "The next session is scheduled for October 15 at 10 a.m."
Previously, on September 11, the special prosecutor's team filed a request with the court for a pretrial witness examination of Representative Kim. Article 221-2 of the Criminal Procedure Act (Request for Witness Examination) stipulates that if a person who is clearly recognized as having indispensable knowledge of facts necessary for a criminal investigation refuses to appear or testify despite a summons by a prosecutor or judicial police officer, the prosecutor may request a witness examination by a judge prior to the first trial date.
The special prosecutor's team determined that Representative Kim's testimony was necessary regarding suspicions that former People Power Party floor leader Chu Kyungho repeatedly changed the venue for the party caucus on the day of the emergency martial law last year, thereby preventing People Power Party lawmakers from participating in the vote to lift martial law. Accordingly, pretrial witness examinations were requested for former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon, as well as Representatives Seo Beomsoo and Kim Taeho.
The examination for former leader Han was scheduled for September 23, but did not proceed due to his absence. The witness examinations for Representatives Seo and Kim are scheduled for September 30.
On the day of the examination, former floor leader Chu's legal team filed a motion to cancel the decision, arguing that the special prosecutor's request for witness examination was unjustified. Chu's team stated, "The claim that lawmakers could not enter the National Assembly because the caucus venue was changed to party headquarters is contrary to objective facts," and argued, "Since it is clear that the suspect has no criminal charges, there is no need to investigate witnesses or references."
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