Ruling and opposition parties in heated debate over 'treason' charges

[Anchor]

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties have shown a clear difference in their views regarding the establishment of charges of treason against President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Today (Dec. 6) at the National Assembly's Judiciary Committee, the opposition raised their voices, claiming it is a clear case of treason, while the ruling party countered that it is a matter for the courts to decide.

Reporter Choo Jae-hoon has the details.

[Report]

The Democratic Party of Korea has launched an offensive, stating that the declaration of emergency martial law clearly constitutes the criminal offense of 'treason' under the law.

They argued that the conditions for martial law were not met and that the entry of the military into the National Assembly directly violated the Martial Law Act, which protects the authority of the legislative branch.

[Park Ji-won/National Assembly Judiciary Committee Member/Democratic Party of Korea: "For those who say it is not treason, please look at how the Supreme Court ruled on the December 12th coup d'état."]

The People Power Party countered that the determination of treason is a matter for the courts.

Citing one of the reasons mentioned by President Yoon Suk Yeol as reasons for the martial law declaration, which was the impeachment offensive, the ruling party attacked the opposition for having conducted a 'legislative coup' .

[Song Seok-jun/National Assembly Judiciary Committee Member/People Power Party: "Isn't this, in short, a legislative coup through legislative dictatorship and voting violence?"]

The courts and the Ministry of Justice have reserved their judgment on the establishment of treason charges.

[Cheon Dae-yeop/Director of the Court Administration: "Since we may be tasked with the trial, I don't think it is appropriate for us to make a final statement on whether it applies or not."]

[Park Sung-jae/Minister of Justice: "The expression of treason may differ from how you judge, so..."]

The back-and-forth between the ruling and opposition parties continued.

[Song Seok-jun/National Assembly Judiciary Committee Member/People Power Party: "The constitutional order of the Republic of Korea is collapsing!"]

[Jang Kyung-tae/National Assembly Judiciary Committee Member/Democratic Party of Korea: "Who caused it to collapse! Please be reasonable!"]

As investigations by the authorities into the treason charges against President Yoon Suk Yeol intensify, the legal battle surrounding the 'treason' is expected to become more intense.

KBS News, Choo Jae-hoon.