[News Today] PROBE FIXATES ON DEPUTY PM NOTE

[LEAD]
Yesterday, the National Assembly held its first hearing of the Parliament probe committee on Insurrection Charges. Claims emerged that contradicted President Yoon Suk Yeol's denials during his Constitutional Court impeachment proceedings.

[REPORT]
This is a note then deputy prime minister for finance Choi Sang-mok is known to have received at the time of the martial law declaration.

The note concerns cutting off funding for parliament and drawing up a budget for a new emergency legislative body.

Jeon Hyun-heui/ Democratic Party
It was a formal administrative document from the president to the finance minister.

Earlier at the Constitutional Court,President Yoon Suk Yeol had said he never handed the note, but the veracity of his remark was disputed.

Min Byoung-dug / Parliament probe committee (DP)
Who is lying? Is it the suspended President Yoon or the acting president?

Foreign minister Cho Tae-yul, recipient of another note, was also grilled by lawmakers.

Back Hye-ryun / Parliament probe committee (DP)
Is is true you received the note from the president himself?

Cho Tae-yul / Minister of Foreign Affairs
Yes. I earlier said so in a plenary session.

Meanwhile former interior minister Lee Sang-min, accused of ordering the cutoff of electricity and water supply to media firms, refused to testify.

Yong Hye-in / Parliament probe committee (Basic Income Party)
You have, over the phone, ordered the fire agency chief to cut off power
and water supply to the press?

Lee Sang-min / Former Minister of the Interior and Safety
I will not testify.

In the earlier Constitutional Court hearing, President Yoon denied issuing an order to drag out lawmakers from parliament, but former special warfare commander Kwak Jong-keun stood by his word, confirming that he heard Yoon's remark.

Kwak Jong-keun / Former special warfare commander
I clearly said as such of my own will.

Also, the opposition-led National Assembly issued an order to accompany Yoon and former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who were a no-show this day, to attend the parliamentary probe hearing.

The ruling People Power Party voted against the move arguing the opposition was trying to humiliate the detained president.