Seoul: South Korea’s prosecutors on Wednesday indicted the head of the National Police Agency and the former chief of the Seoul police over their alleged roles during President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law, officials said.
Cho Ji-ho, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, were indicted under detention on charges of engaging in essential activities for an insurrection and abuse of power.
The indictments came after the two officials were arrested last month as part of an investigation into Yoon’s botched declaration of martial law on December 3.
Cho is accused of ordering police to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly during martial law and alleged involvement in the military’s attempt to arrest key politicians.
The two officials allegedly met Yoon hours before his martial law declaration at the presidential safe house in central Seoul, according to the special prosecution team handling the case, Yonhap news agency reported.
During the meeting, Yoon told the officials that he plans to declare martial law and instructed them to send police personnel to the National Assembly and control the situation, the prosecutors said.
Cho and Kim also allegedly received a document from former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun that detailed plans under martial law, such as where and when martial law troops would be deployed.
When Yoon declared martial law, Kim allegedly ordered police to completely block entry into the National Assembly.
He temporarily allowed lawmakers to enter the compound after undergoing legal review with his staff but later sealed off entry, citing the martial law decree that banned all political activity, according to the prosecutors.
Earlier on January 6, South Korean prosecutors indicted the top military intelligence commander over his alleged involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law imposition the previous month.
The prosecution’s special investigation team indicted Defence Intelligence Commander Major General Moon Sang-ho on charges of playing an “integral” role in an insurrection and abuse of power.
Moon was suspected of sending troops to the National Election Commission’s office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on the night of the short-lived martial law imposition on December 3.
He was also suspected of discussing martial law operations with Noh Sang-won, a former defence intelligence commander, alongside two other subordinates, at a burger franchise in Gyeonggi Province two days ahead of the martial law imposition.
(IANS)
