Prosecution targets Pres. Yoon as insurrection leader

[Anchor]

The prosecution has listed President Yoon as the leader of the insurrection in the summons request.

The testimonies from the military and police leadership, who were investigated first, also point to President Yoon as the top figure.

Reporter Park Young-min has the details.

[Report]

President Yoon Suk Yeol claimed that the recent martial law was a 'warning'.

[President Yoon Suk Yeol/Dec. 12: "It was to warn against the anti-national atrocities of the large opposition party and to stop them."]

However, there are testimonies that President Yoon directly ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly and to drag out the lawmakers.

This indicates that it was not merely a warning, but an attempt to effectively halt the functions of the National Assembly.

[Kwak Jong-geun/Commander of the Special Warfare Command/Dec. 10: "The President called me directly on a secure phone. He said, 'It seems that the quorum has not been fully met yet, quickly break down the door and drag out the people inside.'"]

Just three hours before the declaration of martial law, it has been revealed that he met with police chief Cho Ji-ho and other police leaders at a safe house.

After the declaration of martial law, there are also testimonies that he made direct calls to the military and police to inquire about the situation and ordered the arrest of lawmakers.

[Noh Jeong-hwan/Lawyer/Attorney for Cho Ji-ho/Dec. 13: "(Chief Cho) refused the President's orders to arrest lawmakers after receiving six calls from him."]

[Cho Kuk/Then Member of the Rebuilding Korea Party/Dec. 10/National Assembly Defense Committee: "Did President Yoon Suk Yeol call Commander Lee Jin-woo to inquire about the current situation in the National Assembly?"]

[Lee Jin-woo/Commander of the Capital Defense Command/Dec. 10/National Assembly Defense Committee: "Yes, that's correct."]

[Cho Kuk/Then Member of the Rebuilding Korea Party/Dec. 10/National Assembly Defense Committee: "You did have a conversation, right?"]

[Lee Jin-woo/Commander of the Capital Defense Command/Dec. 10/National Assembly Defense Committee: "Yes, we did."]

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who has been arrested, stated to the prosecution that "the proclamation was drafted in consultation with President Yoon, and President Yoon made direct revisions."

All circumstances and testimonies are pointing towards President Yoon as the central figure in the martial law situation.

The prosecution, which has secured the key suspects in the martial law case, is now focusing on President Yoon.

Current law stipulates the death penalty, life imprisonment, or life imprisonment without labor for the leader of an insurrection.

This is KBS News, Park Young-min.