[Exclusive] Deputy Chief of NIS dismissed for not following an unjust order

[Anchor]

Hong Jang-won, the first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, who revealed in the National Assembly that he received an unjust order regarding the 'declaration of martial law' from President Yoon Suk Yeol, was dismissed last night (Dec. 6).

In an interview with KBS, former Deputy Director Hong stated, "I was trusted by President Yoon, but I could not follow an unjust order."

First, reporter Kim Kyung-jin has the exclusive report.

[Report]

Hong Jang-won, the first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, revealed in an exclusive interview with KBS that he received a dismissal notice from the NIS last night.

He also explained the reason for revealing President Yoon Suk Yeol's instruction to "capture everyone this time, clean everything up" during the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee meeting yesterday.

Former Deputy Director Hong reported directly to President Yoon several times and believed he was trusted, but he thought that being trusted and following an unjust order were different issues.

He also mentioned that President Yoon spoke in an agitated voice, and that the head of the counterintelligence command, Yeo In-hyung, also seemed to be serious about the martial law, stating that as of yesterday, he judged that a second martial law was possible.

Former Deputy Director Hong emphasized that if someone among the hundreds of soldiers had taken sudden action, it could have been a really big problem, and that those who caused and neglected such a situation need to be held accountable.

A presidential office official stated that the instruction to clean everything up was in the context of dealing with spies, and that there had not been orders to arrest politicians or a list of arrests.

Putting together the two sides' positions, President Yoon called former Deputy Director Hong and said, "Clean everything up," but did not specify who to clean up, only instructing him to assist Yeo In-hyung. It seems that a specific arrest list emerged when former Deputy Director Hong later spoke with Commander Yeo.

Commander Yeo stated that he could not comment on the arrest list because he needs to be investigated.

This is KBS News, Kim Kyung-jin.