Complaints and accusations filed against the police following National Assembly closure

[Anchor]

There are also criticisms that the police, who controlled the National Assembly immediately after the declaration of martial law, violated the law.

Today (Dec. 4), complaints and accusations were filed against key officials including Police Chief Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-shik.

Reporter Choi Min-young has the details.

[Report]

About 20 minutes after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law, the police surrounded the main gate of the National Assembly and blocked access.

["(We are also following orders….) Who gave that order? That’s illegal!"]

As access to the National Assembly was blocked, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik had to climb over the assembly wall to pass a resolution demanding the lifting of the emergency martial law declaration, leading to a scuffle between the police and the assembly staff.

Armed martial law troops even broke windows and entered the National Assembly building.

There is ongoing controversy over the legality of the emergency martial law declaration.

As questions arise about whether the military and police's control of access to the National Assembly was also illegal, complaints and accusations against Police Chief Cho Ji-ho, Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-shik, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and former Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, who served as the martial law commander, have been continuously filed with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

Criticism has also emerged within the police organization.

On the police internal network, posts such as "Commanders should not use the police as a shield for the regime" and "We must protect the National Assembly, the hall of the people's will, and the people's right to resist" have been shared by current police officers.

It has been reported that Police Chief Cho Ji-ho received instructions to wait in his office from the presidential office about four hours before the declaration of martial law. Tomorrow (Dec. 5), the National Assembly's Public Administrative and Security Committee is scheduled to hold an urgent inquiry to investigate the suspicions related to this emergency martial law situation.

This is KBS News, Choi Min-young.