Parties slam poor police response

[Anchor]

Today (1.20), during an emergency inquiry by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties criticized the police for their inadequate response during the riot.

Some also questioned whether the damage was exacerbated by the police command's incorrect assessment of the situation, to which Acting Police Chief Lee Ho-young responded by asserting it was the "responsibility of the rioters."

Reporter Park Young-min has the story.

[Report]

The unprecedented riot that occurred in the court has led to ongoing criticisms regarding the police response.

[Lee Dal-hee/People Power Party: "Regarding the complacent response of the police shown during the Western District Court incident..."]

[Yang Boo-nam/Democratic Party: "It is regrettable that the security at the back gate was lax."]

However, opinions were divided on the responsibility for the riot.

Ruling party members argued that the police's incorrect assessment of the situation worsened the damage.

[Kim Jong-yang/People Power Party: "(The police) rather opened up the side, allowing the protesters to enter the building..."]

[Bae Jun-young/People Power Party: "If just four vehicles had been set up as barriers, (he protesters couldn't have entered through the back gate. The command was poorly executed."]

Opposition party members contended that it is important to uncover the masterminds behind the organized riot.

[Lee Hae-sik/Democratic Party: "The court server was vandalized, water was sprayed, and cables were pulled out. This behavior is very organized."]

[Lee Sang-sik/Democratic Party: "There is Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon behind this. Isn't that common sense among the people?"]

The acting police chief claimed that the commanders did their best and argued it was 'beyond their control.'

[Lee Ho-young/Acting Police Chief: "The fault lies primarily with those who caused the violent incident..."]

He also expressed a strong commitment to investigating the masterminds behind the riot.

[Song Won-young/Head of Public Crime Investigation Division, National Office of Investigation: "We will collect evidence and conduct a thorough investigation if related facts are confirmed."]

Meanwhile, regarding the comments made by People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun about the protesters being released, the police confirmed that while Yoon requested leniency from the head of the Gangnam Police Station, he never used the term "release."

KBS News, Park Young-min.