The People Power Party urged a halt in relation to the Special Investigation Team, led by Jo Eun-seok, conducting a search and seizure of lawmakers Chu Kyung-ho and Jo Ji-yeon, as well as the office of the floor leader. The party leadership also protested by visiting the Speaker of the National Assembly, Woo Won-sik, in the main building of the National Assembly.

The special investigation team led by Cho Eun-seok, investigating the emergency martial law related to the 12·3 internal and external disturbance incident, is attempting to conduct a search at the office of People Power Party member Choo Kyung-ho on the 2nd. According to the National Assembly and the legal community, the special investigation team is reportedly in consultation with the National Assembly Secretariat regarding the search of Choo's office that morning. The photo shows the scene at the office of member Choo Kyung-ho in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 2nd./Courtesy of News1

Floor leader Song Eon-seok of the People Power Party said at a strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 2nd, "The search and seizure is currently underway at the home of our party's secretariat staff who accompanied former floor leader Chu Kyung-ho," adding, "When we said we would call a lawyer, the Special Investigation Team insisted there was no time to wait for a lawyer and unlawfully proceeded with the search."

He continued, "I will sternly question whether the Special Investigation Team is allowed to conduct searches arbitrarily with unchecked power," emphasizing, "As they speed ahead and act recklessly, the public will be driven away from power."

The Special Investigation Team began the search of lawmaker Chu's residence first and then conducted searches of lawmaker Jo Ji-yeon and the office of the People Power Party floor leader. This is to investigate allegations of obstructing a vote on lifting the martial law declared by former President Yoon Suk-yeol on Dec. 3. The third Special Investigation Team also previously conducted searches of lawmakers Yoon Sang-hyun, Kweon Seong-dong, Kim Sun-kyo, Lim Jong-deok, and Lee Cheol-kyu from the People Power Party.

The leadership of the People Power Party visited the Speaker's office that morning, requesting that searches within the National Assembly not be permitted. Previously, when the Special Investigation Team had conducted searches in other lawmakers' offices, the People Power Party had protested by visiting the Speaker's office. On that day, some heated exchanges occurred as the People Power Party lawmakers visited the Speaker's office.

After visiting the Speaker's office, Floor Leader Song met with reporters and said, "The Special Investigation Team indiscriminately conducted searches at lawmaker Chu's home, the office building, and the regional office, and they charged into the main building with plans to search the floor leader's office and the floor administration office," adding, "I conveyed to the Speaker that it would be advisable to negotiate the searches within the National Assembly to allow for voluntary submission."

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