NIS leaders' statement conflicts

[Anchor]

It has been revealed that National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong sent a letter to NIS employees stating that he has never received any reports related to the 'arrest of politicians'.

The directive for the 'arrest of politicians' is one of the key issues in the impeachment case, and the claims of the NIS's first and second in command are at odds regarding the circumstances at that time.

Choi Young-yoon reports.

[Report]

The crux of former NIS Deputy Director Hong Jang-won’s testimony is that President Yoon instructed to arrest them all this time, and directed the counterintelligence agency to provide support, and afterward, the counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyung requested support for arrests, providing a list of politicians and others.

Last week, during the National Assembly's special investigation committee, former Deputy Director Hong explained the situation in more detail.

[Hong Jang-won/Jan. 22: "There was no object. There was no instruction to arrest anyone, and the counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyung provided a list of 14 names, which is how I came to know that these people were on the arrest list."]

He also claimed that he reported the relevant details to NIS Director Cho Tae-yong at that time, but that Cho ignored it.

However, Director Cho, who has consistently claimed that he has never received reports about the 'arrest of politicians', strongly denied this again on the same day.

[Cho Tae-yong/NIS Director/Jan. 22: "Was I informed on the night of December 3 that he received the arrest directive? I will confirm once again, risking my honor, that he did not report it to me."]

It has been belatedly revealed that Director Cho sent a letter containing this position to NIS employees on the 8th of last month.

The directive to arrest politicians is one of the core issues of this case, and the prosecution believes that former Minister Kim Yong-hyun instructed the counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain about ten key figures, including politicians.

As the claims of the NIS's first and second in command remain at odds regarding the situation at that time, former Deputy Director Hong will appear as a witness on the 4th of next month during the fifth hearing of the impeachment trial.

This is KBS News, Choi Young-yoon.