[Exclusive] Failed attempt to secure detention facilities during martial law

[Anchor]

During the emergency martial law, it has been revealed that the Counterintelligence Command attempted to secure detention facilities in military bases in the metropolitan area in addition to the underground bunker of the Capital Defense Command.

However, they failed to actually secure these facilities due to legal regulations.

Reporter Hong Seong-hee has the exclusive report.

[Report]

The head of the Counterintelligence Investigation Team testified at the National Assembly that on the day of the martial law, Commander Yeo In-hyung ordered the preparation of facilities for the arrest and detention of politicians.

The underground bunker of the Capital Defense Command was specifically mentioned as a detention facility.

[Boo Seung-chan/Member of the National Assembly Defense Committee: "When did you go to check the B-1 bunker with Commander Yeo (In-hyung)?"]

[Kim Dae-woo/Head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command Investigation Team: "'Get out' was a direct order received by chief Lee from the investigation team."]

However, it has been confirmed that the Counterintelligence Command also attempted to secure detention facilities within military bases, not just the B1 bunker.

This is the response submitted to the National Assembly by the Capital Corps and the Capital Defense Command.

On the night of Dec. 3, the Counterintelligence Command verbally inquired about "the transfer of detainees" to the Capital Corps, and around 1 a.m. on Dec. 4, six members, including a colonel from the Counterintelligence Command, visited the military police unit of the Capital Defense Command and requested to "see the pre-trial detention room."

The capacity of the pre-trial detention rooms at both locations is 52, and at that time, six individuals were detained there.

Prior to this, it was also confirmed that the Counterintelligence Command contacted the Ministry of National Defense's Investigation Headquarters, which oversees military police, to ascertain the status of detention facilities in the metropolitan area.

This adds further evidence supporting the allegations of arrest and detention.

[Seok Dong-hyun/Lawyer/Representative of President Yoon Suk Yeol/Dec. 19: "The president has never mentioned the letter 'a' of 'arrest' at all..."]

However, the Counterintelligence Command's attempts were thwarted by legal regulations.

The transfer of detainees requires the command of military prosecutors and the permission of military courts, and access to pre-trial detention rooms is also restricted to military judges, prosecutors, and the National Human Rights Commission.

The prosecution's special investigation unit recently summoned Baek Cheol-ki, the head of the military police unit of the Capital Corps, and reportedly secured detailed testimony regarding the attempts to secure detention facilities.

This is KBS News, Hong Seong-hee.