On the 20th, the People Power Party claimed that the process of writing the 'arrest list' memo by former National Intelligence Service Vice Administrator Hong Jang-won during the emergency martial law of December 3 was different from the facts while releasing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing his movements.
Members of the People Power Party (hereinafter referred to as People Power Party members) stated at a National Assembly press conference that afternoon, “Former Vice Administrator Hong repeatedly changed his statements regarding the process of creating the 'arrest list,' which is key evidence in the Constitutional Court impeachment trial, but this has now been confirmed as different from the facts through the National Intelligence Service CCTV records.”
Earlier, former Vice Administrator Hong testified that on the day martial law was declared, he received an order from President Yoon Suk-yeol to “arrest them all” and wrote down the arrest targets, including politicians, after hearing the list from former Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung.
However, during the 5th hearing of the impeachment trial of President Yoon on the 4th, former Vice Administrator Hong said that the memo was written by his aide and that he himself added some content in his handwriting.
He then revealed that the time he communicated with former Commander Yeo was at 11:06 p.m. on December 3 and explained, “I did not write it leisurely while sitting at my desk, but rather standing in the open space at the entrance of the director's residence, writing it on a notepad I had in my pocket.”
In response, People Power Party members pointed out, “After checking the National Intelligence Service CCTV, it was confirmed that former Vice Administrator Hong had already entered the interior of the main office at 10:58 p.m., eight minutes before 11:06 p.m.”
They stated, “Former Vice Administrator Hong reiterated his previous statement on February 18 during a media interview, claiming that the location where he heard and wrote down the 'arrest list' was not the open space in front of the director’s residence, but rather the office inside the National Intelligence Service.” They added, “The fact that at least two of the three locations where he communicated with former Commander Yeo In-hyung, which he has recalled multiple times, are different from the truth has been revealed through the National Intelligence Service CCTV.”
Furthermore, they claimed, “There are three decisive problems with former Vice Administrator Hong’s testimony.”
People Power Party members pointed out, “Since it has been confirmed through CCTV that the communication with Commander Yeo In-hyung took place in his office rather than outside, there is no basis for the claim that ‘it was difficult to read because it was written in a dark outdoor area.’”
They continued, “It is difficult to comprehend that someone could read and transcribe handwriting that is difficult for the author to read themselves,” and added, “Moreover, former Vice Administrator Hong is subtly escaping by saying he cannot even disclose who the person who transcribed it is.”
They also stated, “Each time the memo released on December 11 by a Democratic Party member and the memo disclosed by Hong Jang-won during the media interview on February 18 were made public, traces of modifications were found, confirming that they were not written by the same person.”
They expressed concerns, “If the constitutional trial continues based on such unbelievable and contaminated evidence, no one will be able to accept the outcome, and it will lead to greater social conflict.”
He then stated, “Former Vice Administrator Hong will attend the 10th hearing this afternoon,” and added, “In the face of a national crisis, I hope he testifies truthfully according to his conscience so as not to fall into the pitfall of 'three people make a tiger' (三人成虎), and the Constitutional Court must proceed with the impeachment trial according to criminal procedures and ensure that the president's right to defense is fully guaranteed.”