Did Not Disclose Report on "Targeting Lee Jaemyung and Han Donghoon"
Cho Taeyong Denies Most Charges During Warrant Hearing
Ongoing Insurrection Investigation Expected to Gain Momentum
Cho Taeyong, former Director of the National Intelligence Service, who is accused of failing to fulfill his duties during the 12·3 Martial Law, was arrested on November 12.
Cho Taeyong, former Director of the National Intelligence Service, who is accused of violating the National Intelligence Service Act, dereliction of duty, and perjury, is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 11th to attend a pre-arrest interrogation (warrant hearing). Photo by Yonhap News
Judge Park Jungho, the judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, issued the warrant after conducting a pre-arrest interrogation for Cho the previous day, stating, "There is concern over the destruction of evidence."
Previously, on the 7th, Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok’s team investigating the insurrection case requested an arrest warrant for Cho, charging him with violating the National Intelligence Service Act’s prohibition on political involvement, dereliction of duty, perjury, destruction of evidence, falsification and use of false official documents, and violating the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly, among other charges.
Investigations revealed that Cho, despite being aware of the plan to declare martial law before former President Yoon’s public address, failed to report it to the National Assembly. Furthermore, after the declaration of martial law, he did not disclose the report from former NIS First Deputy Director Hong Jangwon that "martial law troops are searching for Lee Jaemyung and Han Donghoon." According to Article 15 of the National Intelligence Service Act, the Director of the NIS must promptly report to the President and the National Assembly Intelligence Committee in situations that significantly affect national security.
Cho is also accused of providing NIS CCTV footage showing Hong’s movements only to the People Power Party, while withholding footage of his own movements from the Democratic Party of Korea. The warrant also lists allegations that he gave false testimony in the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court, claiming he had not seen documents related to martial law, and that he submitted false written answers to the special committee investigating the insurrection charges.
Cho was a participant in the "Samcheong-dong Safe House Meeting" in March last year. He appeared as a witness before the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court and testified that former President Yoon never mentioned "extraordinary measures" during the meeting. However, the special prosecutor’s team determined this testimony was also false.
During the warrant hearing, Cho reportedly denied all charges, claiming he had not received clear reports regarding the arrests at the time. He also explained that the provision of CCTV footage was merely to clarify the controversial issue and not intended as political involvement. However, it is understood that he admitted to some facts regarding the perjury and submission of false written answers.
Nevertheless, the court sided with the special prosecutor’s team by issuing the arrest warrant. This is the first time since August, when former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sangmin was arrested, that a key official from the Yoon Sukyeol administration has been detained in connection with the "insurrection allegations."
Although arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo and former Minister of Justice Park Sungjae were previously denied, the issuance of this warrant is expected to add momentum to the ongoing investigation. The special prosecutor’s investigation period runs until December 14.
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