Opposition seeks arrests of police chief and interior minister

[Anchor]

Today (12.5), in the National Assembly, there were numerous inquiries regarding how the police controlled access to the Assembly.

The Commissioner of the National Police Agency stated that access was ultimately controlled based on the request of the martial law commander and the proclamation.

The National Assembly's Security and Public Administration Committee passed a resolution to arrest Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and Police Commissioner Cho Ji-ho.

Reporter Woo Han-sol reports.

[Report]

Right after President Yoon's declaration of martial law, at 10:46 PM on Dec. 3.

The police immediately controlled access to the National Assembly.

Commissioner Cho Ji-ho stated that access was controlled based on their own judgment following the declaration of martial law at that time.

[Cho Ji-ho/Commissioner of the National Police Agency: "Initially, it was a chaotic situation, so we controlled everything at the scene..."]

However, 20 minutes later, lawmakers were allowed entry based on the opinion of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik, who noted the lack of legal grounds for the restrictions.

[Kim Bong-sik/Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency: "It was based on the thought that there was a lack of legal basis, so only members of the National Assembly and those with access passes were allowed to enter."]

However, 30 minutes later, access was restricted again, and Commissioner Cho stated that this was at the request of Park An-su, the Army Chief of Staff at the time.

[Cho Ji-ho/Commissioner of the National Police Agency: "I instructed the Seoul chief based on the proclamation that came out through the media."]

In response, Park clarified that he was merely following the instruction of then-Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun to relay the contents of the proclamation to the police.

The opposition criticized the proclamation that prohibited political activities in the National Assembly as unconstitutional.

[Shin Jeong-hoon/Chairman of the National Assembly's Security and Public Administration Committee/Democratic Party: "Can you confidently say that this proclamation and the martial law measures comply with the Constitution and laws?"]

[Yong Hye-in/Member of the National Assembly's Security and Public Administration Committee/Basic Income Party: "Do you understand what the term 'punishment' in the proclamation means, and did you implement that proclamation?"]

Commissioner Cho explained that the deployment of police to the National Election Commission in Gwacheon was directed by the Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung, who mentioned the deployment of military personnel to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

In response, Commander Yeo stated that he had never mentioned anything related to the Election Commission.

The inquiry in the National Assembly's Security and Public Administration Committee proceeded with only opposition members after ruling party members walked out in protest of the expression 'insurrection.'

After the inquiry, the committee passed a resolution to demand the arrest of Minister Lee Sang-min and Commissioner Cho Ji-ho, stating that an investigation into the suspects of the insurrection was necessary, solely with the opposition's support.

This is KBS News reporter Woo Han-sol.